Return of the Physician-Surgeon: The Role of Cardiovascular Surgeons in the Era of Transcatheter Valve Replacement/Repair Systems

The national health burden of heart failure is increasing. The prevalence of heart failure in South Korea is approximately 1.5% to 2.0% (700 thousand to 1 million), and cardiologists estimate that this rate will double by 2040. A tremendous proportion of patients with valvular heart disease, which is the cause of heart failure, require valve repair or valve replacement. However, elderly patients are not able to undergo open heart surgery due to the high morbidity and mortality rate. This health issue is not limited to South Korea; instead, it is a global health problem that imposes a major public health burden.