Outcome of valve sparing root replacement for diverse indications.

We report the mid-term outcomes of valve-sparing aortic root replacement (VSRR) in a cohort including patients with bicuspid aortic valve (BAV), connective tissue disorder (CTD), aortic dissection (AD), and congenital heart disease (CHD). . From 2005 to 2017, 174 patients underwent VSRR with the reimplantation technique.

Clinical Outcomes in Patients Treated With a Repositionable and Fully Retrievable Aortic Valve - REPRISE Japan Study.

Background: The REPRISE Japan study, a prospective multicenter single-arm trial, was undertaken to confirm the safety and effectiveness of transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) with the LOTUS valve in Japanese subjects with severe symptomatic calcific aortic stenosis at extreme or high surgical risk.

Methods and results: REPRISE Japan enrolled 40 subjects in the transfemoral (TF) cohort (mean age 84 years; mean [±SD] Society of Thoracic Surgeons [STS] score 6.4±2.

Thromboembolisms related to post-operative electrical cardioversions for atrial fibrillation in patients with surgical aortic valve replacement.

Aims: Post-operative atrial fibrillation (POAF) is a frequent complication after open-heart surgery, and cardioversions (CV) are commonly performed to restore sinus rhythm. However, little data exists on thrombo-embolic risk related to early post-operative CV and on the recurrence of POAF after CV. CAREAVR study sought to assess the rate of strokes, transient ischaemic attacks (TIA), and mortality shortly after POAF-triggered CV in patients who underwent isolated surgical aortic valve replacement (SAVR) with a bioprosthesis.

SOURCE 3 Registry: Design and 30-Day Results of the European Postapproval Registry of the Latest Generation of the SAPIEN 3 Transcatheter Heart Valve.

Background: The SOURCE 3 Registry (SAPIEN Aortic Bioprosthesis European Outcome) is a European multicenter, observational registry of the latest generation of transcatheter heart valve, the SAPIEN 3 (Edwards Lifesciences, Irvine, CA). Its purpose is to document outcomes of clinical safety and performance after European approval was given.

Methods: Here, we present the 30-day outcome of the SOURCE 3 Registry.

Transcatheter aortic valve implantation in patients with small aortic annuli using a 20 mm balloon-expanding valve.

Background: While transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) is established for treating high-operative risk surgical aortic valve replacement candidates, until recently the smallest transcatheter heart valve (THV) measured 23 mm, posing greater risk for annular rupture and THV failure in patients with aortic stenosis (AS) with small aortic annuli (≤20 mm).

Objectives: In the setting of a multicentre registry, we report on the safety, efficacy and early clinical outcomes of the SAPIEN XT 20 mm balloon-expanding THV.

Results: Among TAVI 55 recipients (n=30 for native AS, n=25 for a valve-in-valve procedure (V-in-V)), median age and Society of Thoracic Surgeons score were 85 (81 to 87) years and 7.

Efficacy and safety of the Lotus Valve System for treatment of patients with severe aortic valve stenosis and intermediate surgical risk: Results from the Nordic Lotus-TAVR registry.

Background: Transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) has become an established therapeutic option for patients with symptomatic, severe aortic valve stenosis (AS) who are ineligible or at high risk for conventional valvular surgery. In Northwestern Europe, the TAVR technology is also increasingly used to treat patients with an intermediate risk profile.

Methods And Results: The study was designed as an independent Nordic multicenter registry of intermediate risk patients treated with the Lotus Valve System (Boston Scientific, MA, USA; N=154).

Early clinical outcome of aortic transcatheter valve-in-valve implantation in the Nordic countries.

Objective: Transcatheter valve-in-valve implantation has emerged as an option, in addition to reoperative surgical aortic valve replacement, to treat failed biologic heart valve substitutes. However, the clinical experience with this approach is still limited. We report the comprehensive experience of transcatheter valve-in-valve implantation in the Nordic countries from May 2008 to January 2012.

Early and midterm outcomes after endovascular treatment of degenerative aneurysms of the descending thoracic aorta: a Finnish multicenter study.

Purpose: To evaluate results of endovascular stent-graft placement for aneurysms of the descending aorta in 3 Finnish university hospitals during 1998-2010.

Methods: Among 158 consecutive patients treated with stent-graft placement for disease of the descending thoracic aorta, all 69 patients (58 men; mean age 71.7 years, range 54-90) with an aneurysm were included in the analysis.

Comparison of the novel Medtentia double helix mitral annuloplasty system with the Carpentier-Edwards Physio annuloplasty ring: morphological and functional long-term outcome in a mitral valve insufficiency sheep model.

Background: The prevalence of mitral regurgitation in cardiac diseases requires annuloplasty systems that can be implanted without excessive patient burden. This study was designed to examine the morphological and functional outcome of a new double helix mitral annuloplasty ring in an ovine model in comparison to the classical Carpentier-Edwards (CE) annuloplasty ring as measured by reduction of mitral regurgitation and tissue integration. The Medtentia annuloplasty ring (MAR) is a helical device that is rotated into the annulus self-restoring the valve geometry, enabling a faster fixation without the need of elaborate repair of the valve geometry.

Expanding indications for valve-sparing aortic root reconstruction: early and midterm results.

Background: Valve-sparing aortic root reconstruction (VSRR) is an accepted method to treat patients with aortic root dilation. The role of the VSRR is less well defined for patients with bicuspid aortic valve, severe aortic valve insufficiency, congenital heart defects, and type A aortic dissection. We studied the clinical outcome of patients who underwent VSRR for expanded indications.

Transaortic valve-in-valve implantation after previous aortic root homograft.

Catheter-based valve implantation techniques are becoming a viable option in various clinical situations to replace difficult redo open heart surgical procedures. This is a report of a first, to our knowledge, successful valve-in-valve (VinV) transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) into a homograft through the transaortic (TAo) access route using an Edwards SAPIEN valve prosthesis (Edwards Lifesciences, LLC, Irvine, CA) in a patient with poor left ventricular function and generalized severe atherosclerosis.

Isolated gonococcal ascending aorta aneurysm.

We present a very rare case of an acute septic infection and vegetative mycotic aneurysm caused by Neisseria gonorrhoeae in a 52-year old male. The aortic valve was bicuspid and calcified. He was successfully treated by the resection of the ascending aorta and the aortic valve with a replacement by separate prostheses, followed by 2 weeks of intravenous antibiotic therapy.

Clinical value of intra-operative transit-time flow measurement for coronary artery bypass grafting: a prospective angiography-controlled study.

Objective: Transit-time flow measurement (TTFM) is the most widely used method for intra-operative graft quality control in coronary artery bypass surgery. Although it may provide the opportunity for the surgeon to promptly revise the graft before the patient is discharged from the operating room, controlled clinical data on the ultimate usefulness of the TTFM are scarce. Clear cut-off values for when to revise grafts have not been set.

A giant cavernous hemangioma of the heart.

Cardiac hemangiomas are exceptionally rare, vascular neoplasms of the heart, with an incidence of 1% to 2% among all detected benign heart tumors. With the availability of the advanced imaging modalities of the heart, asymptomatic cardiac tumors are detected more frequently. These tumors are composed either of capillaries or larger cavernous channels.

Clinical outcomes of combined aortic root replacement with mitral valve surgery.

Objective: This study was undertaken to examine the operative mortality and morbidity and late outcomes in patients who required combined aortic root replacement with mitral valve surgery.

Methods: These combined procedures were performed in 123 patients with a mean age of 51 +/- 16 years; 67% were men. The aortic root pathology was an aneurysm in 76 patients and other disorders in 47 patients.

Adjuvant arteriovenous fistula as means of rescue for infrapopliteal venous bypass with poor runoff.

Objective: The aim of this study was to assess the outcome of infrapopliteal bypass when an adjuvant arteriovenous (AV) fistula was reconstructed as means of rescue as a result of poor runoff. The design was a retrospective multicenter case-control study.

Methods: Seventy-seven infrapopliteal vein bypasses required an adjuvant AV fistula among 1813 patients operated on for critical leg ischemia in 3 vascular centers between 1996 and 2003.

Vascular endothelial growth factor C-induced collateral formation in a model of myocardial ischemia.

Background: Besides being a known lymphangiogenic activator, vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF)-C may express angiogenic potential by proteolytic cleavage and activation of endothelial cells. We assessed myocardial collateral formation and functional changes after adenovirus-mediated VEGF-C gene transfer in an ischemic porcine model.

Methods: Fifteen Landrace piglets underwent Ameroid-induced gradual occlusion of the left circumflex artery (LCx) and consequent progressive myocardial ischemia.