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Professor Alain Cribier (1945–2024) is universally recognized as one of the greatest innovators in modern cardiology. His name is inseparable from a major medical revolution: the development of percutaneous treatment for heart valve disease, and in particular transcatheter aortic valve implantation, known as TAVI.
Head of the Cardiology Department at Rouen University Hospital from 1997 to 2010, then Emeritus Professor, Alain Cribier devoted his career to pushing the boundaries of interventional medicine, driven by a clear conviction: offering innovative solutions to patients for whom traditional surgery carried too high a risk.
Beginning in the 1980s, he launched the first balloon aortic valvuloplasty procedures in Rouen, then developed percutaneous techniques for mitral and aortic valve disease. This pioneering work led in 2002 to a decisive breakthrough: the world’s first transcatheter aortic valve implantation in a human patient.
This innovation radically transformed the treatment of aortic stenosis and opened a new therapeutic era.
Author of more than 1,500 scientific publications and presentations, Professor Cribier received some of the highest international honors, including the Lefoulon-Delalande Prize, the ACC Presidential Citation, and the Gold Medal of the European Society of Cardiology.
In 2023, he received one of the highest recognitions from his peers by being named Honorary Member of the French National Academy of Medicine.
Beyond his scientific achievements, Alain Cribier was deeply committed to sharing knowledge. He trained generations of cardiologists in France and around the world, and consistently championed a medical approach grounded in rigor, innovation, and humanity.
His legacy continues today through the Institut Alain Cribier, led by the teams of Rouen University Hospital, with the determination to carry forward his vision into the future.
On April 16, the heart of Rouen beat to the rhythm of prevention. On the forecourt of the Cathedral, the Alain Cribier Institute, together with Rouen University Hospital and Alliance du Cœur, transformed a complex public health issue into a unique human and educational experience.
A look back at a record-breaking day that reflects the very purpose of our Institute: medical excellence for all.
Professor Alain Cribier (1945–2024) is universally recognized as one of the greatest innovators in modern cardiology. His name is inseparable from a major medical revolution: the development of percutaneous treatment for heart valve disease, and in particular transcatheter aortic valve implantation, known as TAVI.
The Alain Cribier Institute was born from an exceptional medical history, but also from a shared determination to structure and extend a unique legacy in the field of heart valve disease.
On Wednesday, April 1, 2026, Professor Hélène Eltchaninoff, Head of Cardiology at Rouen University Hospital, received the Danièle-Hermann Prize at the Palais de l’Institut de France. Awarded by the Cardiovascular Research Foundation (Institut de France), the prize includes €30,000 and recognizes a career dedicated to medical innovation and research in cardiovascular disease, particularly heart valve disease.
Heart valve disease is increasing as the population ages. Today, nearly 30 million people worldwide are estimated to be living with heart valve disease, a number that could double by 2050. In Europe, more than 10% of people over age 75 are believed to have moderate to severe valve disease.
