Meta-Analysis of the Effectiveness and Safety of Transcatheter Aortic Valve Implantation Without Balloon Predilation

In this manuscript the authors report on their findings in a systematic review and meta-analysis of 18 studies looking into the effect on outcomes of balloon predilatation in patients undergoing transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI). Patients in whom balloon predilatation was performed were more likely to require permanent pacemaker implantation, to have grade 2 or more aortic regurgitation, to suffer stroke, and had a higher 30-day mortality than those patients in whom balloon predilatation was not carried out. Interestingly, the subgroup analysis revealed that patients receiving the Medtronic CoreValve prosthesis appear to benefit more from the no predilatation strategy than those receiving an Edwards Sapien prosthesis.