‘The beginning of the story’: TAVR pioneers highlight 20 years of intervention history

WASHINGTON — There have been many changes in intervention since Alain Cribier, MD, FASC, FESC, performed the first-in-human transcatheter aortic valve replacement in a patient with severe aortic stenosis who was not a candidate for surgery.
Cribier recalled feeling a mix of emotions as he prepared for what would be the world’s first TAVR in April 2002. At the time, he tried to think of words to characterize what would happen — “crazy,” “stupid” and “courageous” came to mind, he said.
“The night before, I did not sleep at all,”

WASHINGTON — There have been many changes in intervention since Alain Cribier, MD, FASC, FESC, performed the first-in-human transcatheter aortic valve replacement in a patient with severe aortic stenosis who was not a candidate for surgery.
Cribier recalled feeling a mix of emotions as he prepared for what would be the world’s first TAVR in April 2002. At the time, he tried to think of words to characterize what would happen — “crazy,” “stupid” and “courageous” came to mind, he said.
“The night before, I did not sleep at all,”