Aortic root rupture and acquired intracardiac shunt after transcatheter aortic valve implantation.

Transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) is an alternative to surgical valve replacement in patients with high surgical risk. Although TAVI is becoming more and more common, it is not without complications. Rupture of the aortic root after implantation is an uncommon, but lethal complication; few cases have been described in the literature. Multidetector computed tomography is fundamental before TAVI to evaluate factors that predispose to complications; however, its role after the procedure is still controversial.