Exposure and Subspecialty Training in Transcatheter Structural Heart Procedures for Cardiac Surgeons: An Evolving Necessity and Training Requirement

More than 20 years after Alain Cribier performed thefirsttranscatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI), the adventof transcatheter approaches for treating structural heartdisease continues to grow. Cardiac surgical trainees whohope to build a lasting career must understand the clinicalmanagement of patients who receive transcatheter inter-ventionsdand if they choose to subspecialize, learnnecessary skills to contribute to these evolving domains.We discuss the Canadian cardiac surgeons'role inproviding transcatheter care in the context of the heartteam, and the necessity for formalized training curriculathat provide a foundation for further participation instructural heart interventions.