Transcatheter Interventions for Tricuspid Valve Disease: What to Do and Who to Do It On.

Tricuspid valve disease, and particularly the management of severe tricuspid regurgitation (TR), has gained momentum in recent years. Although it is well known that this frequent condition is associated with poor clinical outcomes, these patients have been classically managed medically, leading to end-stage right ventricular heart failure. Moreover, late referral to surgery has contributed to a high rate of periprocedural complications and in-hospital surgical mortality.

To Take One's Breath Away: Echocardiography-Guided Aspiration of an Air Embolism During a MitraClip Procedure.

An air embolism (AE) is a rare but dreaded complication during endovascular procedures. Current guidance recommends hyperbaric oxygen therapy and aspiration for the management of a venous AE. However, the management of an arterial AE is much less described.

Aortic Valve Replacement in Low-Risk Patients With Severe Aortic Stenosis Outside Randomized Trials.

Background: Recent randomized trials including low-risk patients showed positive results for transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) compared to surgical aortic valve replacement (SAVR), but patients with non-tricuspid aortic valve (NTAV), severe coronary artery disease (SevCAD), and those requiring concomitant mitral/tricuspid valve (CMTV) or concomitant ascending aorta replacement (CAAR) interventions were excluded.

Objectives: This study sought to evaluate the presence and impact of the main clinical variables not evaluated in TAVR versus SAVR trials (NTAV, SevCAD, and CMTV or CAAR intervention) in a large series of consecutive low-risk patients with severe aortic stenosis (SAS) undergoing SAVR.

Methods: Single-center study including consecutive patients with SAS and low surgical risk (Society of Thoracic Surgeons score of <4%) undergoing SAVR.

Safety and effects of volume loading during transesophageal echocardiography in the pre-procedural work-up for left atrial appendage closure.

Background: In patients undergoing left atrial appendage (LAA) closure, an accurate sizing of the LAA is key to optimize device sizing, procedural success and reduce complications. Previous studies have shown that intraprocedural volume loading increases LAA dimensions and improves device sizing. However, the safety and effects on LAA and device sizing of administering a fluid bolus during pre-procedural transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) are unknown.

Overcoming the transcatheter aortic valve replacement Achilles heel: conduction abnormalities-a systematic review.

Background: Transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) has been shown to be a good alternative to surgery for treating severe symptomatic aortic stenosis (AS) across the whole range of surgical risk patients. Whereas most periprocedural TAVR complications have significantly decreased over time, conduction disturbances remain high. Approaches to decrease this shortcoming are under continuous investigation.

Predictors of pacemaker implantation after transcatheter aortic valve implantation according to kind of prosthesis and risk profile: a systematic review and contemporary meta-analysis.

Aims: Permanent pacemaker implantation (PPI) may be required after transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI). Evidence on PPI prediction has largely been gathered from high-risk patients receiving first-generation valve implants. We undertook a meta-analysis of the existing literature to examine the incidence and predictors of PPI after TAVI according to generation of valve, valve type, and surgical risk.

Comparison of Early Surgical or Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement Versus Conservative Management in Low-Flow, Low-Gradient Aortic Stenosis Using Inverse Probability of Treatment Weighting: Results From the TOPAS Prospective Observational Cohort Study.

Background No randomized comparison of early (ie, ≤3 months) aortic valve replacement (AVR) versus conservative management or of transcatheter AVR (TAVR) versus surgical AVR has been conducted in patients with low-flow, low-gradient (LFLG) aortic stenosis (AS). Methods and Results A total of 481 consecutive patients (75±10 years; 71% men) with LFLG AS (aortic valve area ≤0.6 cm/m and mean gradient <40 mm Hg), 72% with classic LFLG and 28% with paradoxical LFLG, were prospectively recruited in the multicenter TOPAS (True or Pseudo Severe Aortic Stenosis) study.

Safety and efficacy of repeat transcatheter aortic valve replacement for the treatment of transcatheter prosthesis dysfunction.

: Transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) has recently expanded toward the treatment of younger patients with lower surgical risk and longer life expectancy. Thus, transcatheter heart valve (THV) durability has become a central issue, and an important increase in the number of TAVR-in-TAVR is expected in the coming years. : Overview of the current status of TAVR-in-TAVR for the treatment of THV dysfunction, focusing on safety and efficacy of repeat TAVR procedures.

Meta-analysis Comparing Early Outcomes Following Transcatheter Aortic Valve Implantation With the Evolut Versus Sapien 3 Valves.

We aimed to compare the early (in-hospital/30-day) outcomes (major periprocedural complications, device success/valve performance, and mortality) following transcatheter aortic valve implantation with the Sapien 3 versus Evolut transcatheter valve systems. This was a systematic review from PubMed and EMBASE databases for studies reporting raw data or estimates. The outcomes analyzed were (1) in-hospital/30-day major periprocedural complications, (2) device success and valve performance, and (3) mortality.

Impact of Left-Ventricular Dysfunction in Patients With High- and Low- Gradient Severe Aortic Stenosis Following Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement.

Background: Outcomes of transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) in patients with high-gradient (HG) severe aortic stenosis (AS) and reduced left-ventricular (LV) ejection fraction (EF) are unknown.

Methods: Patients undergoing TAVR for native severe AS between 2009 and 2018 were retrospectively included and classified into 3 groups: HG (≥ 40 mm Hg) and preserved EF (≥ 50%), HG low EF (< 50%), and low gradient (LG < 40 mm Hg) low EF. The primary endpoint was a composite of cardiovascular mortality and readmission for heart failure at 1 year after TAVR.

Early Multinational Experience of Transcatheter Tricuspid Valve Replacement for Treating Severe Tricuspid Regurgitation.

Objectives: The aim of this registry was to evaluate the feasibility and safety of transcatheter tricuspid valve implantation (TTVI) in patients with extreme surgical risk.

Background: Isolated tricuspid regurgitation (TR) surgery is associated with high in-hospital mortality.

Methods: Thirty consecutive patients (mean age 75 ± 10 years; 56% women) from 10 institutions, with symptomatic functional TR, had institutional and notified body approval for compassionate use of the GATE TTVI system.

Transcatheter Mitral Valve Replacement With the Transseptal EVOQUE System.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to examine the initial experience with a novel transseptal transcatheter mitral valve replacement (TMVR) system.

Background: Transseptal TMVR may offer a less invasive option than surgery for mitral regurgitation (MR) with greater efficacy and fewer anatomic limitations than transcatheter repair.

Methods: Patients were treated with the EVOQUE TMVR system from September 2018 to October 2019.

Arrhythmic burden in patients with new-onset persistent left bundle branch block after transcatheter aortic valve replacement: 2-year results of the MARE study.

Aims: We determined the incidence and type of arrhythmias at 2-year follow-up in patients with new-onset persistent left bundle branch block (LBBB) following transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR).

Methods And Results: Multicentre prospective study including 103 consecutive patients with new-onset persistent LBBB post-TAVR (SAPIEN XT/3: 53; CoreValve/Evolut R: 50). An implantable cardiac monitor (Reveal XT, Reveal Linq) was implanted before hospital discharge and patients had continuous monitoring for up to 2 years.

Procedural Characteristics and Late Outcomes of Percutaneous Coronary Intervention in the Workup Pre-TAVR.

Objectives: This study sought to determine, in patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) during the work-up pre-transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR): 1) the clinical and peri-procedural PCI characteristics; 2) the long-term outcomes; and 3) the clinical events in those patients with complex coronary features.

Background: A PCI is performed in about 25% of TAVR candidates, but procedural features and late outcomes of pre-TAVR PCI remain largely unknown.

Methods: Multicenter study including 1197 consecutive patients who had PCI in the work-up pre-TAVR.

Early Experience With a Novel Transfemoral Mitral Valve Implantation System in Complex Degenerative Mitral Regurgitation.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to evaluate the feasibility, procedural results, and 6-month outcomes of a novel transfemoral transcatheter mitral valve implantation (TMVI) system (Cephea) in patients with complex primary mitral regurgitation (MR).

Background: TMVI is emerging as an alternative to surgery in patients with severe MR. To date, the great majority of TMVI systems use the transapical surgical approach.

Reclassification of prosthesis-patient mismatch after transcatheter aortic valve replacement using predicted vs. measured indexed effective orifice area.

Aims: The objective was to compare the incidence and impact on outcomes of measured (PPMM) vs. predicted (PPMP) prosthesis-patient mismatch following transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR).

Methods And Results: All consecutives patients who underwent TAVR between 2007 and 2018 were included.

Femoral Versus Nonfemoral Subclavian/Carotid Arterial Access Route for Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Background Some concerns remain regarding the safety of transcarotid and transsubclavian approaches for transcatheter aortic valve replacement. We aimed to compare the risk of 30-day complications and death in transcarotid/transsubclavian versus transfemoral transcatheter aortic valve replacement recipients. Methods and Results Data from 20 studies, including 79 426 patients (16 studies) and 3992 patients (4 studies) for the evaluation of the unadjusted and adjusted impact of the arterial approach were sourced, respectively.

Transcatheter Mitral Valve Replacement After Surgical Repair or Replacement: Comprehensive Midterm Evaluation of Valve-in-Valve and Valve-in-Ring Implantation From the VIVID Registry.

Background: Mitral valve-in-valve (ViV) and valve-in-ring (ViR) are alternatives to surgical reoperation in patients with recurrent mitral valve failure after previous surgical valve repair or replacement. Our aim was to perform a large-scale analysis examining midterm outcomes after mitral ViV and ViR.

Methods: Patients undergoing mitral ViV and ViR were enrolled in the Valve-in-Valve International Data Registry.