Foreword

Article Outline

• Copyright

Percutaneous invasive therapeutic procedures has its origins going back to the early 1960s.

Percutaneous catheter balloon commissurotomy for mitral stenosis has been clinically performed for over 20 years and is an accepted and important part of management of these patients.

Percutaneous valve “repairs” had its beginnings in the early years of this century. As people live longer and older people have more valve disease, the prospect of percutaneous valve procedures had an immediate appeal because many of the older people are at higher risk with surgery.

In this short space of time, a large number of devices and procedures have been developed. These procedures are in their infancy but hold great promise. In this issue of Current Problems in Cardiology, Tops and coauthors have provided an excellent update that was needed. Dr. Holmes has provided critical comments and asked questions that will need to be addressed in the coming year. However, it must be emphasized that these questions must be kept in perspective and should not stifle innovation and progress. For example: 1) the transapical approach may have a very important and immediate role in some conditions such as when the ascending aorta is calcified or is full of athero thrombotic material; and 2) the percutaneous approaches may be very attractive in nonagenarians.

The Editorial board and I are very grateful to all the authors for this very exciting, important and up to date, article that is very timely.