Improved Screening Reduces Transesophageal Study Cancellations at a Large Tertiary Israeli Medical Center.

Background: Cancellation of transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) tests leads to inefficient use of echocardiography laboratory (echo lab) time and wastes resources.

Objectives: To identify the causes of same-day TEE cancellations in hospitalized patients, to formulate a TEE order screening protocol, and to evaluate its efficacy at implementation.

Methods: We performed a prospective analysis of inpatients referred to a single tertiary hospital echo lab for TEE study by inpatient wards.

The Prognostic Value of Pulmonary Venous Flow Reversal in Patients with Significant Degenerative Mitral Regurgitation.

: The prognostic significance of pulmonary venous (PV) flow reversal in degenerative mitral regurgitation (dMR) is not well-established. : We aimed to assess whether reversed PV flow is associated with adverse outcomes in patients with significant dMR. : We retrospectively analyzed consecutive patients referred to a tertiary center for evaluation of dMR of greater than moderate degree, who had normal sinus rhythm, had a left ventricular ejection fraction of above 60%, and did not suffer from any other major valvular disorders.

Assessment of Adult Patients with Long COVID Manifestations Suspected as Cardiovascular: A Single-Center Experience.

: Persistent symptoms affect a subset of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) survivors. Some of these may be cardiovascular (CV)-related. : To assess the burden of objective CV morbidity among, and to explore the short-term course experienced by, COVID-19 patients with post-infectious symptomatology suspected as CV.

Tricuspid Structural Valve Deterioration Treated with a Transcatheter Valve-in-Valve Implantation: A Single-Center Prospective Registry.

The valve-in-valve (ViV) technique is an emerging alternative for the treatment of bioprosthetic structural valve deterioration (SVD) in the tricuspid position. We report on the outcomes of patients treated by a transcatheter tricuspid valve-in-valve (TT-ViV) implantation for symptomatic SVD in the tricuspid position during the years 2010-2019 at our center. Three main outcomes were examined during the follow-up period: TT-ViV hemodynamic data per echocardiography, mortality and NYHA functional class.

Five-Year Outcomes of Patients With Mitral Structural Valve Deterioration Treated With Transcatheter Valve in Valve Implantation - A Single Center Prospective Registry.

The Valve-in-Valve (ViV) technique is an emerging alternative for the treatment of bioprosthetic structural valve deterioration (SVD) in the mitral position. We report on intermediate-term outcomes of patients with symptomatic SVD in the mitral position who were treated by transcatheter mitral valve-in-valve (TM-ViV) implantation during the years 2010-2019 in our center. Three main outcomes were examined during the follow-up period: NYHA functional class, TM-ViV hemodynamic data per echocardiography, and mortality.

Trends in Ischemic Mitral Regurgitation Following ST-Elevation Myocardial Infarction Over a 20-Year Period.

Ischemic mitral regurgitation (IMR) is a common complication of acute ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). Little is known regarding the impact of IMR over a long period of follow up. Of 3,208 consecutive STEMI patients from a prospective registry, full echocardiographic information was available for 2,985 patients between the years 2000 and 2020.

Severe aortic stenosis echocardiographic thresholds revisited.

Background: In view of inconsistencies in threshold values of severe aortic stenosis (AS) hemodynamic indices, it is unclear what is the relative contribution of each variable in a binary classification of AS based on aortic valve replacement (AVR) indication. We aimed to assess relative discriminative value and optimal threshold of each constituent hemodynamic parameter for this classification and confirm additional prognostic value.

Methods: Echocardiography studies of 168 patients with ≥ moderate AS were included.

Comparison of Simultaneous Transthoracic Versus Transesophageal Echocardiography for Assessment of Aortic Stenosis.

Transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) is the gold standard for aortic stenosis (AS) assessment. Transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) provides better resolution, but its effect on AS assessment is unclear. To answer this question, we studied 56 patients with ≥moderate AS.

Increased risk of non-hematological cancer in young patients with aortic stenosis: a retrospective cohort study.

Background: We have previously reported an increased risk for non-hematological malignancies in young patients with moderate or severe aortic stenosis (AS). These findings were the result of a post-hoc analysis from a large echocardiography database and needed verification. Our aim was to determine, using a different study population, whether young patients with AS are at increased risk for cancer.

The clinical value of the endocarditis team: insights from before and after guidelines implementation strategy.

Purpose: To evaluate the impact of a multidisciplinary the "Endocarditis Team" (ET) on the course and outcome of infective endocarditis (IE) patients.

Methods: A retrospective before-after study, including hospitalized patients with definite IE, managed before (01.2013-12.

Long-term outcomes of catheter-based intervention for clinically significant paravalvular leak.

Background: In most centres, clinically significant percutaneous paravalvular leak (PVL) closure following valve replacement surgery is reserved for those considered high-risk for surgery. There is a paucity of data regarding the long-term outcomes of these patients.

Aims: Our goals were to assess the long-term outcomes of patients undergoing percutaneous PVL closure.

Myocardial extracellular volume quantification by computed tomography predicts outcomes in patients with severe aortic stenosis.

Background: The extent of myocardial fibrosis in patients with severe aortic stenosis might have an important prognostic value. Non-invasive imaging to quantify myocardial fibrosis by measuring extracellular volume fraction might have an important clinical utility prior to aortic valve intervention.

Methods: Seventy-five consecutive patients with severe aortic stenosis, and 19 normal subjects were prospectively recruited and underwent pre- and post-contrast computed tomography for estimating myocardial extracellular volume fraction.

Long Term Outcomes of Patients Treated With Transcatheter Aortic Valve Implantation.

Transcatheter aortic-valve implantation (TAVI) is an established treatment option in patients with severe symptomatic aortic stenosis. Intermediate and long-term follow up data of these patients is limited. Data was taken from a large all-comer single center prospective registry (2008 to 2019).

Natural History and Disease Progression of Early Cardiac Amyloidosis Evaluated by Echocardiography.

Since the diagnosis of cardiac amyloidosis (CA) is often delayed, echocardiographic findings are frequently indicative of advanced cardiomyopathy. We aimed to describe early echocardiographic features in patients subsequently diagnosed with CA. Preamyloid diagnosis echocardiographic studies were screened for structural and functional parameters and stratified according to the pathogenetic subtype (immunoglobulin light-chain [AL] or amyloid transthyretin [ATTR]).

Prior Carpal Tunnel Syndrome and Early Concomitant Echocardiographic Findings Among Patients With Cardiac Amyloidosis.

Background: We aimed to characterize patients with systemic amyloidosis stratified by a prior diagnosis of carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) and to describe early echocardiographic parameters concomitant with CTS.

Methods And Results: Patients with suspected amyloidosis during CTS diagnosis were excluded. Our cohort included 108 patients with systemic amyloidosis of which 36% had a prior CTS at a median of 4 years (interquartile range [IQR] 2.

[DIFFERENT ANESTHESIA APPROACHES IN THE TRANSCATHETER AORTIC VALVE IMPLANTATION (TAVI) PROCEDURE AND THEIR POSSIBLE EFFECT ON MORBIDITY AND MORTALITY].

Background: Transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) is used in patients with severe aortic stenosis (AS) who are at high surgical risk. Pre- and post-operative management is challenging as these patients are older, have significant comorbidities and a very high expected mortality rate in conventional surgery. There is no consensus in the literature about the preferred form of anesthesia, however, currently most centers perform the procedure using local anesthesia with sedation (LA-S).

Long-Term Functional and Structural Durability of Bioprosthetic Valves Placed in the Aortic Valve Position via Percutaneous Rout in Israel.

There is limited organized "real life" data regarding the long-term structural and functional durability of transcatheter aortic valve implants, a topic of major importance. We assessed the 5-year structural and functional integrity outcomes following trans-catheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) with both self-expandable and balloon-expandable prosthetic valve devices. This study included 450 consecutive patients who underwent TAVI for severe symptomatic aortic stenosis (AS) between September 2008 and December 2011.

Standards on Digital Echocardiography: An Israel Heart Society Position Paper Presented by the Israel Working Group on Echocardiography.

The output settings of echocardiographic systems should be set to the full (original) frame rate and lossless compression (e.g., run-length encoding) in order to transmit echocardiographic videos so that they retain their original quality.

Echocardiographic Assessment of Aortic Stenosis under Sedation Underestimates Stenosis Severity.

Background: Sedation can impact aortic stenosis (AS) classification, which depends on left ventricular ejection fraction (<≥ [less than or greater than and/or equal to] 50%), aortic valve area (AVA<≥ 1 cm), mean pressure gradient (<≥ 40 mm Hg), peak velocity <≥ 400 cm/sec, and stroke volume index (SVI <≥35 mL/m). We compared AS classification by transthoracic echo (TTE) during wakefulness versus sedation.

Methods: Immediately following a baseline TTE performed during wakefulness, another TTE was done during sedation delivered for a concomitant transesophageal study in 69 consecutive patients with AS (mean age 78 ± 7 years, 32 males).

Long-term Israeli Single-Center Experience with the Percutaneous MitraClip Procedure.

Background: The MitraClip procedure is becoming an acceptable alternative for high-risk patients with mitral regurgitation (MR) due to functional (FMR) or degenerative (DMR) disease and suitable mitral anatomy.

Objectives: To evaluate the results of MitraClip at our institute in carefully selected patients.

Methods: We conducted a retrospective analysis of medical records and echocardiography data from January 2012 to December 2017.

Long-Term Outcomes After Mitral Valve Replacement and Tricuspid Annuloplasty in Rheumatic Patients.

Background: Late tricuspid regurgitation is a common finding in patients with rheumatic valvular disease after mitral valve replacement surgery. However, the long-term benefit of concomitant tricuspid valve annuloplasty has not been established in this population.

Methods: This was a single-center retrospective study in a tertiary hospital.

Prevalence, Echocardiographic Correlations, and Clinical Outcome of Tricuspid Regurgitation in Patients with Significant Left Ventricular Dysfunction.

Purpose: We initiated this study to evaluate the prevalence and clinical significance of tricuspid regurgitation in patients with left ventricular dysfunction.

Methods: A single-center analysis of all echocardiographic studies between 2000 and 2013 was performed. Patients with ejection fraction <35% were included, and those with mechanical valves, mitral stenosis, or significant aortic valve pathology were excluded.