Length of Stay After Transfemoral Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement: An Analysis of the Society of Thoracic Surgeons/American College of Cardiology Transcatheter Valve Therapy Registry

Abstract Objectives The goal of this study was to investigate the trends, predictors, and outcomes of delayed discharge (>72 h) after transcatheter aortic valve replacement. Background Length of stay post–transcatheter aortic valve replacement may have significant clinical and administrative implications. Methods Data from the Transcatheter Valve Therapy Registry were used to identify patients undergoing nonaborted transfemoral transcatheter aortic valve replacement who survived to discharge, and data linked from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services were used to provide 1-year events. Patients were categorized to early discharge (≤72 h) versus delayed discharge (>72 h). The trends, predictors, and adjusted 1-year outcomes were compared in both groups. Results From 2011 to 2015, a total of 13,389 patients (55.1%) were discharged within 72 h, whereas 10,896 patients (44.9%) were discharged beyond 72 h. There was a significant decline in rates of delayed discharge across the study period (62% vs. 34%; p  Conclusions Rates of delayed discharge have declined from 2011 to 2015. Delayed discharge is associated with a significant increase in mortality even after adjusting for in-hospital complications. Further work is necessary to determine if predictors of early discharge could be used to develop length of stay scores that might be instrumental in administrative, financial, or clinical policy development.