Elgendy IY, Gad MM, Mahmoud AN, et al. - Researchers analyzed randomized trials comparing outcomes of two commercially available transcatheter heart valve systems: balloon expandable valves (BEV) and self-expanding valves (SEV), via this meta-analysis. Overall 10 trials including 9,439 patients [mostly undergoing transfemoral TAVI (transcatheter aortic valve implantation)] were analyzed. These trials were identified from electronic databases (Medline, the Cochrane Library, Web of Science, and clinicaltrials.gov) and major conference proceedings, and included patients with symptomatic severe aortic stenosis managed with TAVI with a SEV or BEV or surgical aortic valve replacement. Findings revealed that SEV and BEV were related to similar all-cause mortality among patients undergoing transfemoral TAVI for severe symptomatic aortic stenosis. BEV vs SEV were shown to be related to a higher incidence of any stroke driven by nondisabling strokes, but lower incidence of new permanent pacemaker placement as well as moderate/severe paravalvular regurgitation.