TAVI, now the main therapeutic method for aortic valve stenosis, has changed the natural course of the disease and improved both survival rates and quality of life for patients.

The initiator and pioneer of the TAVI method was Professor Alain Cribier, who passed away on February 16, 2024, leaving an important medical and scientific work to the global cardiology community.
“Professor Alain Cribier, a visionary and pioneer in interventional cardiology, left an indelible mark on the hearts of patients and colleagues,” states the Dr George Karavolias, Interventional Cardiologist – Director of the Cardiology Clinic and Department of Transcatheter Valves at the Metropolitan Hospital and continues:

“Professor Cribier first started an effort to redesign the treatment of aortic valve stenosis and invented non-surgical transcutaneous aortic valve replacement (TAVI), an innovative method that would change the lives of thousands of patients around the world.

TAVI has now evolved into the mainstay of treatment for aortic valve stenosis, with more than 450,000 transcatheter implantations worldwide. Its remarkable development and evolution in the last two decades has given a second chance to many patients.

The Department of Interventional Cardiology of the Metropolitan Hospital, a member of HHG, is one of the few certified centers that apply the TAVI method in our country, recording 400+ successful operations, without opening the chest and without temporarily stopping the heart’s function,” adds Dr. Karavoliasreferring then to the problem of aortic valve stenosis and repair and the advantages of the TAVI method.

Aortic valve stenosis: A common problem

Aortic valve stenosis is the most common valvular disease in adults and results in a serious limitation of the heart’s ability to push the required amount of blood into the circulation to adequately supply the body, resulting in symptoms such as shortness of breath, easy fatigue , dizziness and fainting episodes.

What is transcutaneous aortic valve replacement (TAVI)?

The procedure of TAVI is similar to that of coronary angiography. With the new technology, a valve on a catheter is guided through the arteries to the site of the narrowed aortic valve and released into the proper position, the valve working immediately.

What are the advantages of TAVI?

• Percutaneous – Transcatheter Aortic Valve Implantation is one pioneering and highly specialized invasive method used as an alternative to surgical valve replacement in patients with high surgical risk.
• The invasive TAVI method is usually performed without general anesthesia and its duration is about two hours: no chest opening, no temporary heart failure, no surgery.

• THE improvement in symptoms is immediate and after leaving the clinic the patient can be active in one week.

*Percutaneous – Transcatheter aortic valve implantation at Metropolitan Hospital, one of the few certified TAVI centers:

• No chest opening
• No surgery
• No temporary heart failure

“Today, hundreds of people who underwent TAVI surgery at Metropolitan Hospital are enjoying their lives free of symptoms and with a much better quality of life, with the help of our experienced team, who are equipped with the latest technology and provide the most modern treatments,” points out Dr. Giorgos Karavolias.

The Interventional Cardiology Department of the Metropolitan Hospital has a pioneer and one of the most experienced teams of doctors, who have performed numerous successful operations, with over 98% success rate.

It is one of the few state-certified TAVI centers certification by the Ministry of Health and the Central Health Council (KESY).
The planning of the operation takes place immediately, without waiting, with the latest generation technology in a safe environment and at affordable prices, with the high level of health services of the HHG group.

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