The Unplanned Plan B: SAVR After TAVR
In this episode, our hosts are joined by Sabine Bleiziffer and Augusto D’Onofrio to discuss SAVR after TAVR – exploring key decision-making factors, including valve selection, explantation techniques, and patient-specific risk profiles. The guests share experiences with challenging cases, technical tips, and thoughts on how procedural volume, planning, and shared decision-making can impact outcomes. We also consider the future of lifetime valve management and what young surgeons need to know as this field continues to evolve.
Guest speakers:
Dr Sabine Bleiziffer is a Senior Consultant (“Leitende Oberärztin”) cardiac surgeon, Programme Director of structural heart disease and the interdisciplinary valve center at the Herz- und Diabeteszentrum NRW, Clinic for Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery in Bad Oeynhausen, Germany
Dr. Bleiziffer was born in Transylvania, Romania. She completed her medical studies at the University of Leipzig in Germany. She completed her specialist training at the German Heart Center in Munich. With her move to the high-volume center HDZ, she consolidated her profile in the entire spectrum of modern cardiac surgery with a focus on minimally invasive valve procedures.
Prof. Augusto D’Onofrio earned his medical degree from the Catholic University of Rome and completed his cardiac surgery residency at the University of Verona. He holds a PhD in Cardiovascular Sciences from the University of Padova. Currently Associate Professor and Chief of Cardiac Surgery at the University of Rome “Tor Vergata,” he has a special interest in microinvasive transcatheter procedures.
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