The Use of the Buddy Balloon Technique in Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement Procedure

Transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) is a new, rapidly evolving technology used in severe cases of aortic stenosis. Some TAVR procedures have failed to deliver the prosthetic valve due to challenges. In these cases, it is difficult to pass a bulky prosthesis through a narrowed and calcified aortic valve. Special techniques may be needed in these challenging cases. In our case, the extreme calcification and the horizontal aorta caused the delivery system to hang up on the aortic valve. We used a buddy balloon from the contralateral femoral artery to assist in crossing the native aortic valve.