Echocardiographic Progression of Calcific Aortic Valve Disease in Patients with Preexisting Aortic Valve Sclerosis.

Background: We aimed to evaluate echocardiographic parameters to predict calcific aortic valve disease (CAVD) progression. CAVD ranges from aortic valve sclerosis (ASc) with no functional impairment of the aortic valve to severe aortic stenosis (AS). It remains uncertain, which patients with ASc have a particularly high risk of developing AS.

Transcatheter Edge-to-Edge Mitral Valve Repair versus Minimally Invasive Mitral Valve Surgery: An Observational Study.

Minimally invasive mitral valve surgery (MIC-MVS) has been established as preferred treatment of mitral regurgitation (MR), but mitral transcatheter edge-to-edge valve repair (M-TEER) is routinely performed in patients at high surgical risk and is increasingly performed in intermediate risk patients. From 2010 to 2021, we performed 723 M-TEER and 123 isolated MIC-MVS procedures. We applied a sensitivity analysis by matching age, left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF), EuroSCORE II and etiology of MR.

Changes in right ventricular function and clinical outcomes following tricuspid transcatheter edge-to-edge repair.

Aims: Prognostic impact of post-procedural changes in right ventricular (RV) function after tricuspid transcatheter edge-to-edge repair (T-TEER) is still unclear. We investigated association of RV function and its post-procedural changes with clinical outcomes in patients undergoing T-TEER.

Methods And Results: We retrospectively analysed 204 patients who underwent T-TEER and echocardiographic follow-up at 3 months after T-TEER.

Outcomes of transcatheter edge-to-edge repair for atrial functional mitral regurgitation.

Background: The prognostic benefits of transcatheter edge-to-edge repair (TEER) remain unclear in patients with atrial functional mitral regurgitation (AFMR).

Aims: We aimed to investigate the clinical outcomes of TEER for patients with AFMR.

Methods: We retrospectively classified functional mitral regurgitation (FMR) patients undergoing TEER into those with AFMR or ventricular FMR (VFMR).

Cardiac computed tomography-based assessment of mitral annular calcification in patients undergoing mitral transcatheter edge-to-edge repair.

Background: The role of assessment of mitral annular calcification (MAC) using cardiac computed tomography (CCT) in mitral transcatheter edge-to-edge repair (TEER) remains unclear. The aim of this study was to investigate the association of MAC assessed by CCT with procedural and clinical outcomes in patients undergoing TEER.

Methods: We retrospectively analyzed 275 patients who underwent pre-procedural CCT prior TEER.

Impact of body mass index in patients with tricuspid regurgitation after transcatheter edge-to-edge repair.

Background: Obesity and underweight represent classical risk factors for outcome in patients treated for cardiovascular disease. This study describes the impact of different body mass index (BMI) categories on 1-year clinical outcome in patients with tricuspid regurgitation (TR) undergoing transcatheter-edge-to-edge repair (TEER).

Methods: We analyzed 211 consecutive patients (age 78.

Right ventricular ejection fraction assessed by computed tomography in patients undergoing transcatheter tricuspid valve repair.

Aims: The role of right ventricular function in patients undergoing transcatheter tricuspid valve repair (TTVR) is poorly understood. This study investigated the association of right ventricular ejection fraction (RVEF) assessed by cardiac computed tomography (CCT) with clinical outcomes in patients undergoing TTVR.

Methods And Results: We retrospectively assessed three-dimensional (3D) RVEF by using pre-procedural CCT images in patients undergoing TTVR.

Contemporary Treatment and Outcomes of High Surgical Risk Mitral Regurgitation.

Before the development of transcatheter interventions, patients with mitral regurgitation (MR) and high surgical risk were often conservatively treated and subject to poor prognoses. We aimed to assess the therapeutic approaches and outcomes in the contemporary era. The study participants were consecutive high-risk MR patients from April 2019 to October 2021.

Cusp overlap versus standard three-cusp technique for self-expanding Evolut transcatheter aortic valves.

Background: Reducing rates of permanent pacemaker implantation (PPI) after transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) is important for achieving the best procedural outcomes. The cusp overlap technique (COT) implements procedural steps including an overlap angulation of the right and left coronary cusp to mitigate this complication.

Aims: We investigated the incidence of PPI and complication rates following the COT compared to the standard three-cusp implantation technique (3CT) in an all-comers cohort.

Tricuspid valve anatomy of massive to torrential tricuspid regurgitation: Computed tomography analysis.

Background: We aimed to comprehensively assess tricuspid valve anatomy and to determine factors associated with the more advanced stages beyond severe TR (i.e., massive to torrential).

Impact of different guidewires on the implantation depth using the largest self-expandable TAVI device.

Background: The deployment process of the largest self-expandable device (STHV-34) during transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) might be challenging due to stabilization issues. Whether the use of different TAVI-guidewires impact the procedural success and outcome is not well-known. Therefore, we sought to evaluate the impact of non-Lunderquist (NLu) vs.

Characteristics and outcomes of patients undergoing transcatheter mitral valve replacement with the Tendyne system.

Background: Transcatheter mitral valve replacement (TMVR) has emerged as alternative to transcatheter edge-to-edge repair (TEER) for treatment of mitral regurgitation (MR); however, the role of TMVR with the Tendyne system among established treatments of MR is not well defined. We assessed characteristics and outcomes of patients treated with the Tendyne system in the current clinical practice.

Methods: We reviewed patients who underwent cardiac computed tomography and were judged eligible for the Tendyne system.

Transcatheter aortic valve implantation with different self-expanding devices-a propensity score-matched multicenter comparison.

Objective: Several supra-annular self-expanding transcatheter systems are commercially available for transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI). Comparative data in large-scale multicenter studies are scant.

Methods: This study included a total of 5175 patients with severe aortic stenosis undergoing TAVI with the ACURATE neo (n = 1095), Evolut R (n = 3365), or Evolut PRO (n = 715) by a transfemoral approach at five high-volume centers.

Transcatheter Edge-to-Edge Repair for Atrial Secondary Mitral Regurgitation.

Background: Atrial secondary mitral regurgitation (ASMR) is a subtype of SMR that has a poor prognosis, and thus far, evidence of the therapeutic options for the management of ASMR is limited.

Objectives: This study aimed to investigate the effectiveness of transcatheter edge-to-edge repair (TEER) for ASMR.

Methods: The study retrospectively analyzed consecutive patients who underwent MitraClip at the Heart Center Bonn.

Predictive value of the Fibrosis-4 index in patients with severe aortic stenosis undergoing transcatheter aortic valve replacement.

Background: Liver dysfunction is associated with an increased risk of mortality after cardiac interventions. The Fibrosis-4 (FIB-4 index), a marker of hepatic fibrosis, has been associated with a worse prognosis in heart failure. The prognostic relevance of the index in patients undergoing transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) is unknown.

Percutaneous trans-axilla transcatheter aortic valve replacement.

The left axillary artery is an attractive alternative access route for transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) and may provide better outcomes compared to other alternatives. Nevertheless, there remain concerns about vascular complications, lack of compressibility, and thorax-related complications. Between March 2019 and March 2021, 13 patients underwent transaxillary TAVR for severe aortic stenosis at the University Hospital Bonn.

Left atrial function index (LAFI) and outcome in patients undergoing transcatheter aortic valve replacement.

Background: Clinical data regarding the association between the left atrial function index (LAFI) and outcome in patients undergoing transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) are limited.

Objectives: We aimed to investigate the association between the left atrial function index (LAFI) and outcome in patients undergoing TAVR.

Methods: In this retrospective multicenter study, we assessed baseline LAFI in 733 patients undergoing TAVR for severe aortic stenosis in two German high-volume centers between 2008 and 2019.

Haemodynamic differences between two generations of a balloon-expandable transcatheter heart valve.

Objectives: This study aimed to investigate early haemodynamic and clinical performance of the SAPIEN 3 Ultra (S3 Ultra) transcatheter heart valve (THV) system in comparison to its precursor, the SAPIEN 3 (S3). Previous studies have indicated potential haemodynamic differences between the S3 Ultra and S3. Such differences may impact clinical outcome after transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI).

Baseline PA/BSA ratio in patients undergoing transcatheter aortic valve replacement - A novel CT-based marker for the prediction of pulmonary hypertension and outcome.

Background: Pulmonary hypertension (pH) has a prognostic impact on patients undergoing transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR). Pulmonary artery (PA) dilatation assessed by multidetector computed tomography (MDCT) has the potential to predict PH. The aim of the study was to evaluate the clinical parameters associated with PA dilatation and to investigate its prognostic relevance in patients undergoing TAVR.

Leaflet Configuration and Residual Tricuspid Regurgitation After Transcatheter Edge-to-Edge Tricuspid Repair.

Objectives: This study aimed to assess the anatomical leaflet variation and investigate its impact on the procedural outcome in patients undergoing transcatheter edge-to-edge tricuspid repair.

Background: Tricuspid regurgitation (TR) is associated with a poor prognosis.

Methods: The study participants were consecutive patients who underwent transcatheter edge-to-edge tricuspid repair with the MitraClip, TriClip, or PASCAL systems from June 2015 to July 2020 at the Bonn Heart Center.

Spleen Size and Thrombocytopenia After Transcatheter Aortic Valve Implantation.

The pathophysiology of thrombocytopenia after transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) thrombocytopenia is still poorly understood. We assessed the association of spleen size with acquired thrombocytopenia in patients undergoing TAVI. We included 732 patients who underwent TAVI with new generation transcatheter heart valves (THVs) at our center from February 2016 to July 2019.