Human Factors Associated with Deployment Accuracy of Transcatheter Aortic Valve Implantation (TAVI)

Over 190,000 preventable deaths occur each year in hospitals in the United States alone, with 47.7% of those associated with a surgical operation.

Transcatheter Aortic Valve Implantation (TAVI) is an emerging treatment option for previously contraindicated patients suffering from Aortic Stenosis (AS). There is however, a high complication rate associated with this new technology. An average of 24% of patients undergoing TAVI require implantation of a permanent pacemaker after the procedure. This is the result of conduction path interference directly linked to deployment accuracy of the prosthesis (implantation depth) by the operator.

The aim of this research is to investigate the contributing factors leading to these adverse events (i.e. stress, distraction, environmental factors, and device design). A new model will be developed to identify critical tasks during TAVI procedures and mitigate against them leading to reduced adverse event, better clinical outcome and ultimately quality of life for patients.