Lower Mortality With M-TEER vs Surgery, but Devil Is in the Details

A recently published article showed the benefit of TEER compared to mitral valve surgery in older, sicker patients with a high risk in surgery. Based on the French administrative hospital discharge database, the study collected information from all consecutive patients treated for primary or secondary mitral regurgitation with isolated TEER or isolated mitral valve surgery (repair or replacement) between 2012 and 2022. A total of 57,030 patients were found in the database, and after propensity score matching, a total of 2,160 patients were included for analysis in each arm. This study has led to controversy and a heated discussion within the cardiovascular community. In his article, Michael O'Riordan from TCTMD interviews the study's primary author and other experts in the field, providing insights into this issue and a comprehensive overview of the topic.