Valvular & structural heart diseaseResearch article
A streamlined pathway for transcatheter aortic valve implantation: the BENCHMARK study
- Before-and-after study
- multicentre
- 28 sites in 7 European countries
Authors' conclusion
Broad implementation of BENCHMARK practices contributes to improving efficiency of TAVI pathway reducing LoS and costs without compromising patient safety.
Study context
- Population
- Patients with severe symptomatic aortic stenosis (AS) undergoing transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) with balloon-expandable valves, 2020–2023
- Participants
- 1,491 vs 897
- Comparison
- After vs before implementation of BENCHMARK best practices
- Aftern = 1,491
- Beforen = 897reference
- Outcome
- Hospital length of stay (LoS) and duration of intensive care stay
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
Hospital LoS and duration of intensive care stay
Mean length of stay (LoS), before vs after BENCHMARK implementation (days)
7.7 ± 7.0 vs 5.8 ± 5.6
Median LoS, before vs after (days)
6 vs. 4; P < .001
Duration of intensive care, before vs after (days)
1.8 vs 1.3
Median intensive care duration, before vs after (days)
1.1 vs. 0.9; P < .001
Secondary outcomes
Use of local anaesthesia
- Increased use of local anaesthesia after vs before implementation
- 96.1% vs. 84.3%; P < .001
Procedure and intervention times
- Median procedure time, after vs before (min)
- 47 vs. 60; P < .001
- Intervention time, after vs before (min)
- 85 vs. 95; P < .001
Safety
30-day safety (both groups combined)
- No differences between groups; all-cause mortality
- 0.6%
- Stroke/TIA
- 1.4%
- Life-threatening bleeding
- 1.3%
- Stage 2/3 AKI
- 0.7%
- Valve-related readmission
- 1.2%
- rates for both groups combined
Original publication
A streamlined pathway for transcatheter aortic valve implantation: the BENCHMARK study. Eur Heart J. Published 30 March 2024. doi:10.1093/eurheartj/ehae147
Summarised from the published abstract; every number is checked against it