Risk for Increased Mean Diastolic Gradient after Transcatheter Edge-to-Edge Mitral Valve Repair: A Quantitative Three-Dimensional Transesophageal Echocardiographic Analysis.

Background: Iatrogenic mitral stenosis is a known limitation of transcatheter edge-to-edge mitral valve repair (TMVr), but determinants of increased postprocedural mean diastolic gradient (MG) are not well defined. The aim of this study was to determine correlates of increased post-TMVr MG or aborted clip implantation due to increased MG.

Methods: Procedural three-dimensional transesophageal echocardiographic (TEE) data sets of 112 patients who underwent TMVr were retrospectively analyzed.

Adult Intraoperative Echocardiography: A Comprehensive Review of Current Practice.

Intraoperative transesophageal echocardiography is a mature imaging modality and critical component of contemporary heart surgery, in which it plays a key role in surgical planning, determination of cardiac chamber filling and function early after cardiopulmonary bypass, and timely assessment of surgical interventions. Intraoperative transesophageal echocardiography affords the unique opportunity to correct suboptimal surgical results before leaving the operating room. Herein, the authors provide a comprehensive review of their institution's experience with intraoperative transesophageal echocardiography, emphasizing a practical assessment of commonly encountered noncongenital surgical heart lesions in adults, anticipation of potential surgical complications, and imaging approaches to facilitate timely surgical correction of unsatisfactory results.

Quantitative Three-Dimensional Echocardiographic Correlates of Optimal Mitral Regurgitation Reduction during Transcatheter Mitral Valve Repair.

Background: Patient selection for transcatheter edge-to-edge mitral valve repair (TMVR) remains challenging because of heterogenous mitral valve pathology and highly variable anatomy. The aim of this study was to investigate whether quantitative three-dimensional (3D) transesophageal echocardiographic modeling parameters are associated with optimal mitral regurgitation (MR) reduction in patients undergoing TMVR.

Methods: Fifty-nine patients underwent 3D transesophageal echocardiography during TMVR.

A hybrid technique for treatment of commissural primary mitral regurgitation.

Background: MitraClip is an effective transcatheter therapy for mitral regurgitation (MR). However, MitraClip is challenging in commissural MR and the optimal therapeutic approach is unclear.

Methods: We describe a case series of six consecutive patients with severe commissural primary mitral regurgitation who underwent MitraClip insertion followed by an Amplatzer Vascular Plug (AVP) II occluder between the commissure and the MitraClip.

Mitral Valve Anatomic Predictors of Hemodynamic Success With Transcatheter Mitral Valve Repair.

Background: Mitral regurgitation is a heterogeneous disease. Determining which patients derive optimal outcomes from transcatheter edge-to-edge mitral valve repair (TMVR) remains challenging. We sought to determine whether baseline mitral valve anatomic characteristics are predictive of left atrial pressure (LAP) changes during TMVR with MitraClip.

3D transesophageal echocardiography: A new imaging tool for assessment of mitral regurgitation and for guiding percutaneous edge-to-edge mitral valve repair.

Real time three dimensional transesophageal echocardiography (3D TEE) is probably the most powerful and convincing imaging method for understanding the complicated multiform morphology and for evaluating geometry, dynamics and function of degenerative and functional mitral valve (MV) regurgitation. Moreover, color Doppler 3D TEE has been valuable to identify the location of the regurgitant orifice and the severity of the mitral regurgitation. 3D TEE has been shown to be of enormous value in helping surgeons to perform MV repair.

Comparative study of bicuspid vs. tricuspid aortic valve stenosis.

Aims: To examine differences and similarities in bicuspid aortic valve (BAV) and tricuspid aortic valve (TAV) stenosis occurring during the same age and whether any differences impact outcomes following aortic valve replacement (AVR).

Methods And Results: An age-matched cohort of 198 BAV stenosis and 198 TAV stenosis patients was identified from 888 consecutive patients undergoing AVR for severe AS. Mean age 68 ± 6 years; 68% male.

Building Blocks of Structural Intervention: A Novel Modular Paradigm for Procedural Training.

Structural heart disease is a rapidly evolving field, and approaches to procedural training are not standardized. We describe a novel modular approach to procedural training that considers each procedure as a series of building blocks that may be taught and assessed separately. Ten key structural heart disease building blocks can be identified, which, when combined with the cognitive skills of structural intervention and device-specific training, allow appropriate planning and implementation of structural procedures.

Characteristics and outcomes of re-do percutaneous paravalvular leak closure.

Background: Percutaneous paravalvular leak (PVL) closure is an alternative treatment option for severely symptomatic, high-surgical risk patients with PVL. Some patients require multiple percutaneous PVL closure procedures. However, the procedural characteristics and success rate of re-do PVL closure have not been well studied.

The Learning Curve for Transcatheter Mitral Valve Repair With MitraClip.

Objectives: This study sought to assess the learning curve for TMVR for treatment of primary mitral regurgitation (MR).

Background: Data are lacking regarding the technical experience required to achieve optimal clinical outcomes with transcatheter mitral valve repair (TMVR) using the edge-to-edge MitraClip technique.

Methods: We examined the sequential experience of the first 75 patients (age 80 ± 9 years; 77% male) who underwent TMVR at our institution.

Acute LVOT Obstruction with a Carbomedics Mechanical Valve Prosthesis.

A 62-year-old female with severe symptomatic rheumatic mitral stenosis was referred for mitral valve replacement. A 27-mm Carbomedics mechanical mitral valve was placed using everting sutures. As the patient was weaned off cardiopulmonary bypass, she became hemodynamically unstable.

Echocardiographic and Fluoroscopic Fusion Imaging for Procedural Guidance: An Overview and Early Clinical Experience.

There has been significant growth in the volume and complexity of percutaneous structural heart procedures in the past decade. Increasing procedural complexity and accompanying reliance on multimodality imaging have fueled the development of fusion imaging to facilitate procedural guidance. The first clinically available system capable of echocardiographic and fluoroscopic fusion for real-time guidance of structural heart procedures was approved by the US Food and Drug Administration in 2012.

Sex-related differences in calcific aortic stenosis: correlating clinical and echocardiographic characteristics and computed tomography aortic valve calcium score to excised aortic valve weight.

Aims: Calcific aortic valve stenosis (AS) is purportedly associated with less calcium burden in women than in men. We sought to examine sex-related differences and correlates of surgically excised aortic valve weight (AVW) in pure AS.

Methods And Results: Clinical and echocardiographic characteristics of 888 consecutive patients who underwent aortic valve replacement for severe AS were correlated to AVW, and in 126 patients, AVW was also correlated to computed tomography aortic valve calcium (AVC) score.

The Preoperative Evaluation of Infective Endocarditis via 3-Dimensional Transesophageal Echocardiography.

Transesophageal echocardiography continues to have a central role in the diagnosis of infective endocarditis and its sequelae. Recent technological advances offer the option of 3-dimensional imaging in the evaluation of patients with infective endocarditis. We present an illustrative case and review the literature regarding the potential advantages and limitations of 3-dimensional transesophageal echocardiography in the diagnosis of complicated infective endocarditis.

Percutaneous mitral valve replacement using a transvenous, transseptal approach: transvenous mitral valve replacement.

Objectives: The aim of this paper is to describe the feasibility of a novel transcatheter approach for mitral valve replacement using only venous access.

Background: Failure of mitral valve prostheses necessitating reoperation can represent a high-risk clinical scenario. Although repeat cardiac surgery remains the standard of care for most failed mitral valve operations, nascent transcatheter options are under development for patients at high or extremely risk of surgery.