E. Murat Tuzcu, MD, Professor of Medicine, Cleveland Clinic, discusses the current limitations of catheter-based valve replacements, including problems with the femoral artery route and atherosclerosis and paravalvular leak.

Reading:
Thiem A, Cremer J, Lutter G. Percutaneous valve replacement: weird or wonderful? Minerva Cardioangiol. 2006 Feb;54(1):23-30. Review.

Akins CW, Bitondo JM, Hilgenberg AD, Vlahakes GJ, Madsen JC, MacGillivray TE. Early and late results of the surgical correction of cardiac prosthetic paravalvular leaks. J Heart Valve Dis. 2005 Nov;14(6):792-9; discussion 799-800.