Same-day hospital discharge after transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) is feasible and safe for select patients, according to research presented at the EAPCI Summit 2026. The event was organized by the European Association of Percutaneous Cardiovascular Interventions (EAPCI), part of the European Society of Cardiology.
TAVI is a minimally invasive procedure used to treat aortic stenosis by inserting a replacement valve via catheter, usually through the groin. Originally intended for older or high-risk patients as an alternative to open-heart surgery, TAVI has become more common among lower-risk groups as well.
Dr. Krishnarpan Chatterjee from James Cook University Hospital in Middlesbrough, UK, explained the motivation behind the study: "Next-day discharge after TAVI has become increasingly popular with advances in technology and streamlining of care pathways. Same-day discharge is the next step – this has been shown to be safe in a highly selected cohort of patients. At our centre, we have used a protocol with expanded inclusion criteria for same-day discharge after elective transfemoral day-case TAVI. Our day-case TAVI practice involves patients being admitted on the morning of the procedure and being discharged home the same day. We were able to demonstrate the safety of this approach in the presented analysis."
The retrospective analysis covered all elective cases considered eligible for same-day discharge following elective day-case transfemoral TAVI between June 2018 and December 2024. Patients qualified if they had no significant peripheral vascular disease, maintained normal heart rhythm or already had a pacemaker, and had sufficient support at home during their first night post-procedure. Those with severe frailty, cognitive issues, complex medication needs or clinical instability were excluded.
Out of 790 patients who underwent elective transfemoral TAVI during this period, 279 (35.3%) were identified as potentially suitable for same-day discharge during preassessment screening; ultimately, 160 (57.3% of those eligible) went home on the same day as their procedure. The main reasons some did not leave on the same day included heart rhythm conduction problems (67.2%) and vascular complications (10.9%).
The average age among those discharged on the same day was 80.4 years; women made up 40% of this group.
Clinical outcomes over 30 days showed similar results between those successfully discharged on the same day and those initially deemed eligible but kept overnight or longer instead. Thirty-day mortality rates stood at 1.8% for same-day discharges versus 0.8% for others; readmission rates were also comparable at 4.4% versus 9.2%, respectively.
