Outcomes and Impact of Device Iterations in Mitral Valve Transcatheter Edge-to-Edge Repair: The REPAIR Study.

Background: The PASCAL P10 system for mitral valve transcatheter edge-to-edge repair has undergone iterations, including introduction of the narrower Ace implant and the Precision delivery system.

Objectives: The study sought to evaluate outcomes and the impact of PASCAL mitral valve transcatheter edge-to-edge repair device iterations.

Methods: The REPAIR (REgistry of PAscal for mltral Regurgitation) study is an investigator-initiated, multicenter registry including consecutive patients with mitral regurgitation (MR) treated from 2019 to 2024.

Femoral or Radial Secondary Access in TAVR: A Subanalysis From the Multicenter PULSE Registry.

Background: Transradial secondary access (TR-SA) may serve as an alternative to the traditional femoral secondary access (TF-SA) for pigtail placement in transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR).

Objectives: The aim of this study was to assess the incidence of secondary access-related vascular complications after TR-SA or TF-SA in TAVR.

Methods: The PULSE (Plug or sUture based vascuLar cloSurE after TAVR) registry retrospectively evaluated data of 10,120 patients who underwent transfemoral TAVR at 10 heart centers from 2016 to 2021.

Computed tomography-based anatomical suitability of an Endo-Bentall prosthesis for ascending aortic aneurysms.

Background: This study aimed to evaluate the suitability of a coronary-branched ascending aortic endograft, paired with aortic valve (AV) prosthesis (Endo-Bentall), for the endovascular repair of ascending aortic aneurysms.

Methods: Preoperative ≤1 mm computed tomography angiographies of consecutive patients managed with Bentall procedure or ascending aortic replacement and AV reconstruction/replacement, in a single institution (from January 1, 2008, to December 31, 2023), were retrospectively analyzed. Dedicate software was used to assess (1) vascular access, (2) proximal landing zone, (3) coronary artery anatomy, and (4) distal landing.

Predictors for length of stay after surgical aortic valve replacement.

Aortic valve replacement improves and prolongs lives of patients with aortic valve disease, but requires significant healthcare resources, which are mainly determined by the length of associated hospital stays. Therefore, this study aims to identify risk factors for extended length of stay after surgical aortic valve replacement. Between 2018 and 2023, 458 consecutive patients underwent isolated surgical aortic valve replacement at our center and were included in our analysis.

Long-Term Mortality and Impact of Implantation-Associated Factors on the Incidence of Patient-Prosthesis Mismatch After Transcatheter Aortic Valve Implantation in Patients With Small Annuli.

Prosthesis-patient mismatch (PPM) is a common phenomenon after transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI), especially in patients with small aortic annuli. Whether factors during implantation, such as the implantation depth, have an impact on the occurrence of PPM is currently unclear. The objectives of our study were to (1) investigate the influence of procedure planning- and implantation-related factors on the occurrence of PPM and (2) evaluate the impact of PPM on long-term mortality after TAVI.

Balloon-expandable transcatheter heart valves for treatment of aortic valve stenosis in patients with large aortic annuli: Evaluation of deployment balloon overfilling strategies.

Objectives: Transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) using balloon-expandable (BE) transcatheter heart valves (THV) in aortic annuli above 29 mm includes particular procedural steps, mainly involving overfilling of the deployment balloon. Data on overfilling strategies in clinical daily practice is scarce. We herein aimed for a retrospective description of utilized overfilling strategies in those patients.

One-Year Outcomes From the CLASP IID Randomized Trial for Degenerative Mitral Regurgitation.

Background: The CLASP IID (Edwards PASCAL TrAnScatheter Valve RePair System Pivotal Clinical) trial is the first randomized controlled trial comparing the PASCAL system and the MitraClip system in prohibitive risk patients with significant symptomatic degenerative mitral regurgitation (DMR).

Objectives: The study sought to report primary and secondary endpoints and 1-year outcomes for the full cohort of the CLASP IID trial.

Methods: Prohibitive-risk patients with 3+/4+ DMR were randomized 2:1 (PASCAL:MitraClip).

1-Year Outcomes of Transcatheter Edge-to-Edge Repair in Anatomically Complex Degenerative Mitral Regurgitation Patients.

Background: Favorable 6-month outcomes from the CLASP IID Registry (Edwards PASCAL transcatheter valve repair system pivotal clinical trial) demonstrated that mitral valve transcatheter edge-to-edge repair with the PASCAL transcatheter valve repair system is safe and beneficial for treating prohibitive surgical risk degenerative mitral regurgitation (DMR) patients with complex mitral valve anatomy.

Objectives: The authors sought to assess 1-year safety, echocardiographic and clinical outcomes from the CLASP IID Registry.

Methods: Patients with 3+ or 4+ DMR who were at prohibitive surgical risk, had complex mitral valve anatomy based on the MitraClip Instructions for Use, and deemed suitable for treatment with the PASCAL system were enrolled prospectively.

Valve-in-valve procedures for degenerated surgical and transcatheter aortic valve bioprostheses using a latest-generation self-expanding intra-annular transcatheter heart valve.

Background: Valve-in-valve (ViV) transfemoral transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) for failing aortic surgical bioprostheses or transcatheter heart valves (THV) has demonstrated a reasonable clinical and hemodynamic efficacy. Traditionally, self-expanding (SE) supra-annular THV are considered to result in superior hemodynamics compared with balloon-expandable intra-annular THV after ViV. However, so far no data are found on latest-generation intra-annular SE THV for aortic ViV procedures which might be superior with regard to coronary access or subsequent valve reintervention.

Feasibility and outcome of third-generation transcatheter aortic valve implantation in patients with extra-large aortic annulus.

Background: Many patients in need for transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) present with an aortic annulus size larger than recommended by the manufacturer's instructions for use (IFU).

Aims: To investigate procedural and short-term safety and efficacy of TAVI in patients with extra-large annuli (ELA).

Methods: 30-day clinical outcome and valve performance as defined by VARC 3 of 144 patients with an aortic annulus size exceeding the permitted range were compared to a propensity-score matched control cohort of patients with an aortic annulus size consistent with the IFU.

Sublethal Effects of Four Insecticides Targeting Cholinergic Neurons on Partner and Host Finding in the Parasitic Wasp Nasonia vitripennis.

Lethal and sublethal effects of pesticides on nontarget organisms are one of the causes of the current decline of many insect species. However, research in the past decades has focused primarily on pollinators, although other beneficial nontarget organisms such as parasitic wasps may also be affected. We studied the sublethal effects of the four insecticides acetamiprid, dimethoate, flupyradifurone, and sulfoxaflor on pheromone-mediated sexual communication and olfactory host finding of the parasitic wasp Nasonia vitripennis.

Effect of periprocedural furosemide-induced diuresis with matched isotonic intravenous hydration in patients with chronic kidney disease undergoing transcatheter aortic valve implantation.

Background: Acute kidney injury (AKI) after transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) is a serious complication which is associated with increased mortality. The RenalGuard system was developed to reduce the risk of AKI after contrast media exposition by furosemide-induced diuresis with matched isotonic intravenous hydration. The aim of this study was to examine the effect of the RenalGuard system on the occurrence of AKI after TAVI in patients with chronic kidney disease.

Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement in Patients With Reduced Ejection Fraction and Nonsevere Aortic Stenosis.

Background: The potential benefit of transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) in patients with nonsevere aortic stenosis (AS) and heart failure is controversial. This study aimed to assess outcomes of patients with nonsevere low-gradient AS (LGAS) and reduced left ventricular ejection fraction undergoing TAVR or medical management.

Methods: Patients undergoing TAVR for LGAS and reduced left ventricular ejection fraction (<50%) were included in a multinational registry.

Differential effects of anaemia and iron deficiency on long-term outcomes following transcatheter edge-to-edge repair in degenerative vs. secondary mitral regurgitation: results from a large single-center study.

Background: Anaemia and iron deficiency (ID) are independently associated with adverse outcomes in patients with cardiovascular diseases, especially in those with heart failure. Here, we aimed to clarify the long-term effect of anaemia and ID on outcomes in patients undergoing transcatheter mitral edge-to-edge repair (TEER) for relevant mitral regurgitation (MR) as well as to relate these to the underlying MR aetiology.

Methods: 833 patients (median age 77.

Temporal changes of patient characteristics over 12 years in a single-center transcatheter aortic valve implantation cohort.

Background: Beneficial results of transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) compared to surgical aortic valve replacement (SAVR) in patients at all risk strata have led to substantial changes in guideline recommendations for valvular heart disease.

Aim: To examine influence of these guideline changes on a real-world TAVI cohort, we evaluated how risk profiles and outcomes of TAVI patients developed in our single-center patient cohort over a period of 12 years.

Methods: Baseline, procedural and 30-day outcome parameters of TAVI patients were retrospectively compared between three time periods (period 1: 2008-2012, period 2: 2013-2017, period 3: 2018-2020).