Incorporating the intermediate risk in Transcatheter Aortic Valve Implantation (TAVI)

Similar documents
TAVI: The Real Deal? Marc Pelletier, MD Head, Department of Cardiac Surgery New Brunswick Heart Centre

1-YEAR OUTCOMES FROM JOHN WEBB, MD

TAVR IN INTERMEDIATE-RISK PATIENTS

Transcatheter Aortic Valve Implantation. SSVQ November 23, 2012 Centre Mont-Royal 15:40

LOW RISK TAVR. WHAT THE FUTURE HOLDS

Igor Palacios, MD Director of Interventional Cardiology Massachusetts General Hospital Professor of Medicine Harvard Medical School

TAVR today: High Risk, Intermediate Risk Population, and Valve in Valve Therapy

Le TAVI pour tout le monde?

SAPIEN 3: Evaluation of a Balloon- Expandable Transcatheter Aortic Valve in High-Risk and Inoperable Patients With Aortic Stenosis One-Year Outcomes

An Update on the Edwards TAVR Results. Zvonimir Krajcer, MD Director, Peripheral Intervention Texas Heart Institute at St.

TAVR-Update Andrzej Boguszewski MD, FACC, FSCAI Vice Chairman, Cardiology Mid-Michigan Health Associate Professor Michigan State University, Central

Aortic Stenosis: Open vs TAVR vs Nothing

Is TAVR Now Indicated in Even Low Risk Aortic Valve Disease Patients

TAVI: Present and Future Perspective

Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement

TAVI After PARTNER-2 : The Hamilton Approach

A new option for the Diagnosis and Management of Valvular Heart Disease. Oregon Comprehensive Valve Center

Transcatheter Valve Replacement: Current State in 2017

TAVR in Intermediate Risk Populations /Optimizing Systems for TAVR

Neal Kleiman, MD Houston Methodist DeBakey Heart and Vascular Institute

RANDOMISED TRIALS TAVI WITH SAVR STEPHAN WINDECKER AORTIC VALVE DISEASE COMPARING

The Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement (TAVR)Program at Southcoast Health. Adam J. Saltzman, MD Cardiovascular Care Center

The Role of TAVI in high-risk and normal-risk Patients

Five-Year Outcomes of Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement (TAVR) in Inoperable Patients With Severe Aortic Stenosis: The PARTNER Trial

Aortic Stenosis: Background

CIPG Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement- When Is Less, More?

Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement: Current and Future Devices: How do They Work, Eligibility, Review of Data

Update on Percutaneous Therapies for Structural Heart Disease. William Thomas MD Director of Structural Heart Program Tucson Medical Center

THE PERCUTANEOUS MANAGEMENT OF VALVULAR HEART DISEASE DR JOHN RAWLINS CONSULTANT INTERVENTIONAL CARDIOLOGIST UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL SOUTHAMPTON

After PARTNER 2A/S3i and SURTAVI: What is the Role of Surgery in Intermediate-Risk AS Patients?

2/15/2018 DISCLOSURES OBJECTIVES. Consultant for BioSense Webster, a J&J Co. Aortic stenosis background. Short history of TAVR

TAVR: Intermediate Risk Patients

Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement with a Self-Expanding Prosthesis or Surgical Aortic Valve Replacement in Intermediate-Risk Patients:

TAVI- Is Stroke Risk the Achilles Heel of Percutaneous Aortic Valve Repair?

Aortic stenosis (AS) remains the most common

TAVI: Nouveaux Horizons

Severe Aortic Valve Disease: TAVR in Four Ages and Four Etiologies Age 25 y/o Congenital, 50 y/o Bicuspid, 75 y/o Rheumatic, 100 y/o Degenerative

Results of Transapical Valves. A.P. Kappetein Dept Cardio-thoracic surgery

Valvular Intervention

Evolving and Expanding Indications for TAVR

TAVR SPRING 2017 The evolution of TAVR

TAVR: Review of the Robust Data from Randomized Trials

> 1200 Patients

Appropriate Use of TAVR - now and in the future. A Surgeon s Perspective. Neil Moat Royal Brompton Hospital, London, UK

TAVR for Complex Aortic Valvular Conditions

Indication, Timing, Assessment and Update on TAVI

PARTNER 2A & SAPIEN 3: TAVI for intermediate risk patients

Case Presentations TAVR: The Good Bad and The Ugly

Debate: SAVR for Low-Risk Patients in 2017 is Obsolete AVR vs TAVI

Vinod H. Thourani, MD, FACC, FACS

Cardiolucca Heart Celebration. Seconda generazione delle valvole e miglioramento degli outcome nel trattamento percutaneo della stenosi aortica

Percutaneous Aortic Valve Implantation. Core-Valve and Cribier-Edwards Update

TAVR 2018: TAVR has high clinical efficacy according to baseline patient risk! ii. Con

Aortic Stenosis: Interventional Choice for a 70-year old- SAVR, TAVR or BAV? Interventional Choice for a 90-year old- SAVR, TAVR or BAV?

Edwards Transcatheter AVR: Have the Outcomes Changed after CE Approval?

2/28/2010. Speakers s name: Paul Chiam. I have the following potential conflicts of interest to report: NONE. Antegrade transvenous transseptal route

Edwards Sapien. Medtronic CoreValve. Inoperable FDA approved High risk: in trials. FDA approved

Valve Replacement without a Scalpel Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement (TAVR) Charles T. Klodell, M.D.

State of the Art and Future perspective

The Future of Medicine. Who to TAVR? Azeem Latib MD EMO-GVM Centro Cuore Columbus and San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy

Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement TAVR

TRANSAPICAL AORTIC VALVE REPAIR

Transcatheter procedures of the future; expanding the treatment options for patients with severe aortic stenosis

TAVR in 2020: What is Next!!!!

Clinical and Echocardiographic Outcomes at 30 Days with the SAPIEN 3 TAVR System in Inoperable, High-Risk and Intermediate-Risk AS Patients

Transcatheter Therapies For Aortic Valve Disease. March 2017 Brian Whisenant MD

TAVR for low-risk patients in 2017: not so fast.

Current Evidence in TAVI patients using ACURATE and LOTUS valves

Establishing a New Path Forward for Patients With Severe Symptomatic Aortic Stenosis THE PARTNER TRIAL CLINICAL RESULTS

PERCUTANEOUS STRUCTURAL UPDATES TAVR WATCHMAN(LEFT ATRIAL APPENDAGE OCCLUDERS) MITRACLIP PARAVALVULAR LEAK REPAIRS ASD/PFO CLOSURES VALVULOPLASTIES

Disclosures 4/16/2018. What s New in Valvularand Structural Heart Disease. None relevant to the presentation

TAVI limitations for low risk patients

Australia and New Zealand Source Registry Edwards Sapien Aortic Valve 30 day Outcomes

Is TAVI ready for prime time in: - Intermediate risk patients? - Low risk patients?

Trans Catheter Aortic Valve Replacement

Bernard De Bruyne, MD, PhD Cardiovascular Center Aalst OLV-Clinic Aalst, Belgium

Aortic Stenosis and TAVR TARUN NAGRANI, MD INTERVENTIONAL AND ENDOVASCULAR CARDIOLOGIST, SOMC

Percutaneous aortic valve replacement should NOT be preferred therapy for aortic stenosis

TAVR in 2017 What we know? What to expect?

Transcatheter Heart Valve Procedures

Disclosures. Overview. Surgical and TranscatheterAortic Valve Replacement: An Update on a Disruptive Technology 8/31/2016

Ian T. Meredith AM. MBBS, PhD, FRACP, FCSANZ, FACC, FAPSIC. Monash HEART, Monash Health & Monash University Melbourne, Australia

Results of Transfemoral Transcatheter Aortic Valve Implantation

Stainless Steel. Cobalt-chromium

Aortic Stenosis Background and Breakthroughs in Treatment: TAVR Update

Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement. Larry L. Wood Corporate Vice President

Disclosures. LGH TAVR: Presentation Outline 2/2/2016. Updates in Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement (TAVR) and the LGH Experience

L evoluzione nel management della valvulopatia aortica

Surgical AVR: Are there any contraindications? Pyowon Park Samsung Medical Center Seoul, Korea

Transcatheter Aortic-Valve Implantation for Aortic Stenosis

How to Prevent Thromboembolic Complications in TAVI

CoreValve in a Degenerative Surgical Valve

TAVI PROGRAM CHANGING THE EDMONTON LANDSCAPE...

Is Stroke Frequency Declining?

TAVI in Korea, How to Avoid Conduction

Early Experience of Transcatheter Mitral Valve Replacement Results from the Intrepid Global Pilot Study

TAVI: 10 Years After the First Case Low-Risk and High-Risk Patients What are the Limits? Dr Bernard Prendergast DM FRCP FESC John Radcliffe Hospital

Minimalist Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement (MA-TAVR)

Paravalvular Regurgitation is a Risk Factor Following TAVI

Structural Heart Disease Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement (TAVR)

Transcription:

Incorporating the intermediate risk in Transcatheter Aortic Valve Implantation (TAVI) Larry S. Dean, MD, MSCAI Past President SCAI Professor of Medicine and Surgery University of Washington School of Medicine Seattle, WA USA

FINANCIAL OR OTHER RELATIONSHIP(S) DISCLOSURE: Grant/Research Support: Edwards Lifesciences

Lecture Outline Review the ACC/AHA Guidelines Case example of Complex TAVR Learnings from the TAVR trials Who is the appropriate intermediate patient for TAVR Conclusions

ACC/AHA Valvular Heart Disease Guidelines: Indications for AVR for AS Nishimura RA, et al 2014 Valvular Heart Disease Guideline JACC 2014

ACC/AHA Valvular Heart Disease Guidelines: Choice of Intervention Nishimura RA, et al 2014 Valvular Heart Disease Guideline JACC 2014

The PARTNER Trials

Device Evolution Untreated Equine Tissue Bovine Pericardial Tissue ThermaFix anti-calcification process Leaflets matched for both deflection and thickness Cobalt-Chromium Frame Bovine Pericardial Tissue ThermaFix anti-calcification process Leaflets matched for both deflection and thickness Cribier-Edwards THV Edwards SAPIEN THV 23mm, 26mm Edwards SAPIEN XT THV 23mm, 26mm, 29mm

lve Valve Sapien S3 Valve Home / Products / Transcatheter Heart Valves / Edwards SAPIEN 3 Edwards SAPIEN 3 Transcatheter Heart Valve Built upon the proven benefits of the SAPIEN valve family onic Frame design Enhanced frame geometry for ultra-low delivery profile High radial strength for circularity and optimal hemodynamics lts Low frame height Respects the cardiac anatomy Bovine pericardial tissue Leaflet shape optimized for hemodynamics and durability Carpentier-Edwards ThermaFix* process intended to reduce the risk of calcification Outer skirt Designed to minimize paravalvular leak Designed to minimize paravalvular leak while achieving an ultra-low delivery profile

Can the Indications for TAVI be Expanded to Intermediate Risk Patients with AS? To Help Understand my Answer We Need to Review Some of What We have Learned from PARTNER, CoreValve and Other Studies

PARTNER I Study Design Symptomatic Severe Aortic Stenosis ASSESSMENT: High-Risk AVR Candidate 3,105 Total Patients Screened N = 699 High Risk Total = 1,057 patients 2 Parallel Trials: Individually Powered Inoperable N = 358 Yes ASSESSMENT: Transfemoral Access No ASSESSMENT: Transfemoral Access Transfemoral (TF) Transapical (TA) Yes No 1:1 Randomization 1:1 Randomization 1:1 Randomization Not In Study N = 244 N = 248 N = 104 N = 103 N = 179 N = 179 TF TAVR VS AVR TA TAVR VS AVR TF TAVR VS Standard Therapy Primary Endpoint: All-Cause Mortality at 1 yr (Non-inferiority) Primary Endpoint: All-Cause Mortality Over Length of Trial (Superiority) Co-Primary Endpoint: Composite of All-Cause Mortality and Repeat Hospitalization (Superiority)

Patient Characteristics: Inoperable Characteristic TAVR n = 179 Standard Rx n = 179 p value Age yr 83.1 ± 8.6 83.2 ± 8.3 0.95 Male sex (%) 45.8 46.9 0.92 STS Score 11.2 ± 5.8 12.1 ± 6.1 0.14 NYHA I or II (%) III or IV (%) 7.8 92.2 6.1 93.9 0.68 0.68 CAD (%) 67.6 74.3 0.20 Prior MI (%) 18.6 26.4 0.10 Prior CABG (%) 37.4 45.6 0.17 Prior PCI (%) 30.5 24.8 0.31 Prior BAV (%) 16.2 24.4 0.09 CVD (%) 27.4 27.5 1.00 11

Death Incidence (%) Mortality Stratified by STS Score (ITT): PARTNER I Inoperable Standard Rx TAVR 100% STS <5 100% STS 5-14.9 100% STS 15 Cohort C 80% 80% 80% 60% 60% 60% 40% 40% 40% 20% 20% 20% 0% 0 6 12 18 24 0% 0 6 12 18 24 0% 0 6 12 18 24 Months Months Months Numbers at Risk 28 26 25 24 16 108 80 76 67 52 43 32 23 19 15 12 12 8 7 6 5 119 84 59 42 29 47 29 19 14 8

PARTNER I Study Design Symptomatic Severe Aortic Stenosis ASSESSMENT: High-Risk AVR Candidate 3,105 Total Patients Screened N = 699 High Risk Total = 1,057 patients 2 Parallel Trials: Individually Powered Inoperable N = 358 Yes ASSESSMENT: Transfemoral Access No ASSESSMENT: Transfemoral Access Transfemoral (TF) Transapical (TA) Yes No 1:1 Randomization 1:1 Randomization 1:1 Randomization Not In Study N = 244 N = 248 N = 104 N = 103 N = 179 N = 179 TF TAVR VS AVR TA TAVR VS AVR TF TAVR VS Standard Therapy Primary Endpoint: All-Cause Mortality at 1 yr (Non-inferiority) Primary Endpoint: All-Cause Mortality Over Length of Trial (Superiority) Co-Primary Endpoint: Composite of All-Cause Mortality and Repeat Hospitalization (Superiority)

Patient Characteristics: High Risk Characteristic TAVR (N = 348) AVR (N = 351) p-value Age (yr) 83.6 ± 6.8 84.5 ± 6.4 0.07 Male sex - % 57.8 56.7 0.82 STS Score 11.8 ± 3.3 11.7 ± 3.5 0.61 Logistic EuroSCORE 29.3 ± 16.5 29.2 ± 15.6 0.93 NYHA II - % III or IV - % 94.3 94.0 0.79 CAD - % 74.9 76.9 0.59 Previous MI - % 26.8 30.0 0.40 Prior CV Intervention - % 72.1 71.6 0.93 Prior CABG - % 42.6 44.2 0.70 Prior PCI - % 34.0 32.5 0.68 Prior BAV - % 13.4 10.2 0.24 Cerebrovascular disease - % 5.7 6.0 29.3 27.4 0.60

All-Cause Mortality PARTNER I All-Cause Mortality (ITT): High Risk 70% 60% 50% TAVR AVR HR [95% CI] = 0.93 [0.74, 1.15] p (log rank) = 0.483 44.8% 40% 34.6% 44.2% 30% 26.8% 33.7% 20% 24.3% 10% 0% 0 6 12 18 24 30 36 No. at Risk Months post Randomization TAVR 348 298 261 239 222 187 149 AVR 351 252 236 223 202 174 142

Strokes Strokes (ITT): PARTNER I High Risk 70% 60% 50% TAVR AVR HR [95% CI] = 1.09 [0.62, 1.91] p (log rank) = 0.763 40% 30% 20% 10% 6.0% 3.2% 7.7% 4.9% 9.3% 8.2% 0% 0 6 12 18 24 30 36 Months Post Randomization No. at Risk TAVR 348 287 250 228 211 176 139 AVR 351 246 230 217 197 169 139

Mortality Impact of Total AR on Mortality (AT) TAVR Patients 70% 60% 50% None - Trace Mild Moderate - Severe 53.7% 60.8% 44.6% 40% 30% 38.2% 26.0% 32.5% 35.3% 20% 25.6% 10% 12.3% 0% 0 6 12 18 24 30 36 No. at Risk Months post Procedure None-Tr 131 121 114 102 93 80 63 Mild 171 146 125 117 110 94 62 Mod-Sev 34 24 21 18 15 12 9

Clinical Outcomes at 1, 2, and 3 Years (ITT) All Patients (N=699) 1 Year 2 Years 3 Years Outcome AVR (N = 351) TAVR (N = 348) p-value AVR (N = 351) TAVR (N = 348) p-value AVR (N = 351) TAVR (N = 348) p-value Major Vasc. Comp. no. (%) 13 (3.8) 42 (12.1) <0.001 13 (3.8) 43 (12.5) <0.001 13 (3.8) 43 (12.5) <0.001 Major Bleeding no. (%) 88 (26.7) 52 (15.7) <0.001 95 (29.5) 61 (19.3) 0.003 99 (31.5) 64 (20.8) 0.003 New PM no. (%) 16 (5.0) 21 (6.4) 0.44 19 (6.3) 24 (7.6) 0.54 20 (6.8) 25 (8.1) 0.56 Endocarditis no. (%) 3 (1.0) 2 (0.6) 0.63 3 (1.0) 4 (1.5) 0.62 6 (2.6) 4 (1.5) 0.37 SVD Requiring AVR 0 0 0 0 0 0 MI no. (%) 2 (0.6) 0 0.16 4 (1.5) 0 0.05 6 (2.7) 2 (1.1) 0.23 Acute Kidney Inj.* no. (%) 20 (6.5) 18 (5.4) 0.57 22 (7.3) 20 (6.2) 0.59 23 (7.9) 22 (7.2) 0.76 SVD = Structural Valve Deterioration * Renal replacement therapy

CoreValve

CoreValve Pivotal Trial Design 20

Baseline Demographics 21

Primary Endpoint: 1 Year All-cause Mortality ACC 2014 Surgical Transcatheter 19.1% 14.2% 4.5% P = 0.04 for superiority 3.3% 22

All Stroke 23

Other Endpoints 24

Outcomes in Lower Risk Patients n = 420 Lange R, et al. JACC 2012;59:280-7

Outcomes in Lower Risk Patients n = 420 Lange R, et al. JACC 2012;59:280-7

Conclusions The question at this point is not can we technically do TAVI in a lower risk population; obviously we can. The question is, should we do so based on the fairly limited non-randomized data that currently exist? I believe the answer at present is no, at least outside of well- designed trials. PARTNER II and SURTAVI are such a trials Dean LS. Cath Cardiovasc Intervt. 2012;79:141

The PARTNER II Trial Study Design Symptomatic Severe Aortic Stenosis ASSESSMENT by Heart Valve Team n = 2000 Randomized Patients Operable (STS 4) Two Parallel Randomized Trials +6 Nested Registries Inoperable n = 560 Randomized Patients Yes ASSESSMENT: Transfemoral Access No ASSESSMENT: Transfemoral Access Transfemoral (TF) Transapical (TA) / TransAortic (TAo) Yes 1:1 Randomization 1:1 Randomization 1:1 Randomization 6 Nested Registries Sample Size TF TAVR SAPIEN XT VS Surgical AVR TAVR: TA / TAo SAPIEN XT Primary Endpoint: All-Cause Mortality + Disabling Stroke at Two Years (Non-inferiority) VS Surgical AVR TF TAVR SAPIEN XT VS TF TAVR SAPIEN Primary Endpoint: All-Cause Mortality + Disabling Stroke + Repeat Hospitalization at One Year (Non-inferiority) NR1 (Sm Vessel) 100 NR2 (Transapical) 100 NR3 (ViV) 100 NR4 (TAo) 100 NR5 (29 mm TF) 50 NR6 (29 mm TA) 50

Methods The SAPIEN 3 Trial Study Design Prospective, multicenter, non-randomized study Number of Patients 150 (TF [transfemoral] = 96, TAA [transapical / transaortic] = 54) 50 high-risk patients & 100 high-risk or intermediate-risk patients Patient Selection High-risk: STS score > 8 o 8 or L gistic EuroSCORE 15 Intermediate-risk: c STS s >4 o re < 4 to < 8 8 o or L gistic EuroSCORE 10 to < 15 Enrollment Period January 2013 to November 2013 Study Centers 16 sites in Europe and Canada Access Approach Transfemoral, transapical, or transaortic access, as determined by the Heart Team

Baseline Characteristics (2) Baseline Characteristics (%) TF PATIENTS (N = 96) TAA PATIENTS (N = 54) P-VALUE STS PROM Score 7.5 ± 4.26 7.3 ± 4.94 0.813 Logistic EuroSCORE (%) 19.8 ± 10.9 24.9 ± 14.0 0.022 Peripheral Vascular Disease 16.7 38.9 0.003 Previous Myocardial Infarction 11.5 27.8 0.014 Previous CABG 14.6 27.8 0.056 Atrial Fibrillation 22.9 35.8 0.125 Previous Aortic Valvuloplasty 10.4 3.7 0.213 Previous Pacemaker Implantation 13.5 16.7 0.635 Carotid Disease 25.0 25.9 1.000 Porcelain Aorta 1.0 1.9 1.000 Prior Stroke 7.3 7.4 1.000

Clinical Outcomes at 30 Days (1) Clinical Outcome TF (N = 96) EVENT RATE IN THE AT POPULATION # PATIENTS (KM %) TAA (N = 54) Overall (N = 150) All-Cause Mortality 2 (2.1%) 6 (11.1%) 8 (5.3%) Cardiac Mortality 2 (2.1%) 5 (9.3%) 7 (4.7%) All-Stroke* 1 (1.0%) 3 (5.6%) 4 (2.7%) Disabling Stroke 0 (0.0%) 0 (0.0%) 0 (0.0%) Major Vascular Complication 5 (5.2%) 4 (7.4%) 9 (6.0%) Major Bleeding 19 (19.8%) 11 (20.4%) 30 (20.0%) Life-Threatening Bleeding 2 (2.1%) 3 (5.6%) 5 (3.3%) Rehospitalization 0 (0.0%) 0 (0.0%) 0 (0.0%) Primary Endpoint TF (N = 95) EVENT RATE IN THE VI POPULATION # PATIENTS (KM %) TAA (N = 54) Overall (N = 149) All-Cause Mortality 1 (1.1%) 6 (11.1%) 7 (4.7%) VI, valve implant = all enrolled patients who received a SAPIEN 3 implant, and retain the valve upon leaving the cath lab * Severity of the one TF stroke unknown. Rehospitalization for for valve-related symptom or worsening of congestive heart failure.

Clinical Outcomes at 30 Days (2) EVENT RATE IN THE AT POPULATION # PATIENTS (KM %) Clinical Outcome TF (N = 96) TAA (N = 54) Overall (N = 150) Acute Kidney Injury (Stage II/III) 1 (1.0%) 3 (5.6%) 4 (2.7%) Myocardial Infarction 2 (2.1%) 0 (0.0%) 2 (1.3%) Reintervention* 1 (1.0%) 0 (0.0%) 1 (0.7%) Endocarditis 0 (0.0%) 0 (0.0%) 0 (0.0%) Valve Thrombosis 0 (0.0%) 0 (0.0%) 0 (0.0%) New-Onset Atrial Fibrillation 7 (7.3%) 11 (20.4%) 18 (12.0%) New Permanent Pacemaker Implanted 12 (12.5%) 8 (14.8%) 20 (13.3%) * Valve Malposition requiring a second valve on Day 0

SURTAVI: Study Design OUS STS mortality risk 4% and 10% US STS mortality risk 4% and 10% Meet I/E Criteria and eligible for SAVR and TAVI Heart Team Evaluation including assessment for significant CAD with determination of need for revascularization Randomization with 5 year follow up 2200 patients US and OUS STS 4-10% Recruitment Ongoing Presence of significant CAD with intended revascularization No intended revascularization TAVI + PCI SAVR + CABG TAVI SAVR 22

Transapical Valve in Valve

Transapical Valve in Valve

What are the Issues in Making this Technology Available to the Intermediate Risk Patient? Unknown durability of the valve The incidence of stroke The requirement for a permanent pacemaker which appears higher for some than others The vexing problem of post implant aortic regurgitation Lack of randomized data to inform the decision

Conclusions This is a disruptive technology The current devices are really first and at best second generation The future will bring better devices and delivery systems The final indications for the procedure are to be defined Intermediate risk has become, in some countries, accepted practice but this procedure is not without risk and some unknowns Studies to better define the outcomes, compared to surgery are ongoing