Transcatheter valve interventions: playground for cardiologists or cardiac surgeons? The cardiologist's view

摘要

Historically, the only interventional management option for valve pathology was cardiac surgery. However, the rapid evolution of transcatheter valve interventions has catapulted cardiologists into a central role in the management of these patients. A welcome consequence of this rapid change in the landscape has been the fostering of new and improved relationships between cardiologists and cardiac surgeons and the formulation of "Heart Teams" to facilitate patient management. We believe that the cardiologist, who already utilises many of the clinical and procedural skills required to manage this complex group of patients, is optimally placed to be the central figure within the multidisciplinary team, and to deliver these treatments with the ultimate aim of achieving the best possible patient outcomes.