Mitral valve infective endocarditis in a dialysis patient with a tunneled dialysis catheter and prior MitraClip® implantation: an autopsy case.

Background: The number of patients with heart disease who can benefit from treatment is continuing to increase due to the widespread use of cardiac implantable devices. Accordingly, the number of cardiac device-related infective endocarditis (CDRIE) cases has been increasing year by year. We report a very rare experience of performing an autopsy on a patient who died of CDRIE at the site of MitraClip ® implantation, which has recently been developed as a treatment option for severe mitral regurgitation.

Impact of catheter contact angle on lesion formation and durability of pulmonary vein isolation.

Purpose: This study is aimed to evaluate the impact of catheter contact angle on lesion formation and durability of pulmonary vein isolation (PVI).

Methods: Both in vitro experiment and retrospective observational study were conducted. For in vitro experiment, radiofrequency lesions were created on explanted swine hearts in three different catheter contact angles (0°, 45°, and 90°).

Impact of Frailty on Bleeding Events Related to Anticoagulation Therapy in Patients With Atrial Fibrillation.

Background: Although anticoagulation is the key treatment to prevent stroke in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF), including elderly patients, anticoagulation is sometimes withheld for elderly people because of concerns about frailty. However, it remains unknown whether frailty increases bleeding events.

Methods and results: A total of 120 consecutive non-valvular AF patients admitted with symptoms of AF or congestive heart failure were included in this study.

Prognostic Impact of Permanent Pacemaker Implantation in Patients With Low Left Ventricular Ejection Fraction Following Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement.

Background: Data are limited regarding the clinical impact of permanent pacemaker implantation (PPI) in patients with low left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) after transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR). The aim of this study was to determine the impact of new PPI in patients with baseline low LVEF at 2-year follow-up after TAVR.

Methods: A total of 659 patients undergoing TAVR between January 2013 and December 2015 were included in the study.

Early Clinical Outcomes of Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement in Left Ventricular Outflow Tract Calcification: New-Generation Device vs Early-Generation Device.

Background: Transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) in cases with left ventricular outflow tract calcification (LVOT-CA) remains a challenging procedure. The aim of this study was to compare the early outcomes of patients undergoing TAVR in LVOT-CA with new-generation devices vs early-generation devices.

Methods: Between January 2014 and December 2016, a total of 433 patients with severe aortic stenosis who had a preprocedural multidetector computed tomography underwent TAVR in a LVOT-CA.

Computed tomography characteristics of the aortic valve and the geometry of SAPIEN 3 transcatheter heart valve in patients with bicuspid aortic valve disease.

Aims: We assessed the geometry of transcatheter heart valve (THV) and valve function associated with SAPIEN 3 implantation in patients with bicuspid aortic valve (BAV) stenosis.

Methods And Results: We included 280 consecutive patients who had a contrast computed tomography (CT) before and after transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) in our institution. Each THV was assessed by CT at five cross-sectional levels: inflow, annulus, mid, sinus, and outflow.

Relation Between Left Ventricular Outflow Tract Calcium and Mortality Following Transcatheter Aortic Valve Implantation.

Left ventricular outflow tract (LVOT) calcium is known to be associated with adverse procedural outcomes after transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI), yet its effect on midterm outcomes has not been previously investigated. The aim of this study was to determine the influence of LVOT calcium on 2-year mortality after TAVI. A total of 537 consecutive patients underwent TAVI and 2 groups were established, stratified based on the severity of the LVOT calcium.

Natural history of subclinical leaflet thrombosis affecting motion in bioprosthetic aortic valves.

Aims: Four-dimensional volume-rendered computed tomography (4DCT) has demonstrated instances of hypo-attenuating leaflet thickening (HALT) with or without hypo-attenuation affecting motion (HAM) after transcatheter and surgical aortic valve implantation (TAVI, SAVR). The temporal pattern of evolution of these phenomena is uncertain.

Methods And Results: The SAVORY registry enrolled patients treated by TAVI (n = 75) or SAVR (n = 30) with two 4DCT scans fully interpretable for HALT and HAM as well as unchanged anti-thrombotic medication between the scans.

Effect of ascending aortic dimension on acute procedural success following self-expanding transcatheter aortic valve replacement: A multicenter retrospective analysis.

Aims: Self-expanding (SE) valves are characterized with long stent frame design and the radial force of the device exists both in the inflow and outflow level. Therefore, we hypothesized that device success of SE-valves may be influenced by ascending aortic dimensions (AAD). The aim of this study was to determine the influence of AAD on acute device success rates following SE transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR).

A Highly Predictive Risk Model for Pacemaker Implantation After TAVR.

Objectives: This study sought to develop a robust and definitive risk model for new permanent pacemaker implantation (PPMI) after SAPIEN 3 (third generation balloon expandable valve) (Edwards Lifesciences, Irvine, California) transcatheter aortic valve replacement (third generation balloon expandable valve TAVR), including calcification in the aortic-valvular complex (AVC).

Background: The association between calcium in the AVC and need for PPMI is poorly delineated after third generation balloon expandable valve TAVR.

Methods: At Cedars-Sinai Heart Institute in Los Angeles, California, a total of 240 patients with severe aortic stenosis underwent third generation balloon expandable valve TAVR and had contrast computed tomography.

Systematic CT Methodology for the Evaluation of Subclinical Leaflet Thrombosis.

Subclinical leaflet thrombosis was recently described in a randomized trial of transcatheter aortic valve replacement. It was subsequently demonstrated in a series of registries that this was a commonly observed imaging finding seen in all transcatheter and surgical bioprostheses. The phenomenon has aroused considerable interest due to the as-yet-undefined risk for later clinical events and the possibility of pharmacological intervention with anticoagulation.

Severe aortic stenosis with low aortic valve calcification: characteristics and outcome following transcatheter aortic valve implantation.

Aims: High aortic valve calcification (AVC) assessed with CT may be used to differentiate between severe and non-severe aortic stenosis (AS). Nonetheless, in some cases patients with low calcification are diagnosed with haemodynamically severe AS. The prevalence, mechanism of valve stenosis and implications for transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) of low AVC severe AS remain unclear.

Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement With Different Valve Types in Elliptic Aortic Annuli.

Background: The aim of this study was to determine the influence of an elliptic annulus on acute device success rates following self-expanding (SE) transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) vs. balloon-expandable (BE) TAVR.Methods and Results:Outcomes were assessed using Valve Academic Research Consortium-2 definitions.

Optimal sizing for SAPIEN 3 transcatheter aortic valve replacement in patients with or without left ventricular outflow tract calcification.

Aims: The impact of left ventricular outflow tract calcification (LVOT-CA) on SAPIEN 3 transcatheter aortic valve replacement (S3-TAVR) is not well understood. The aims of the present study were to determine optimal device sizing for S3-TAVR in patients with or without LVOT-CA and to evaluate the influence of residual paravalvular leak (PVL) on survival after S3-TAVR in these patients.

Methods And Results: This study analysed 280 patients (LVOT-CA=144, no LVOT-CA=136) undergoing S3-TAVR.

Transcatheter Aortic Valve Implantation With Different Valve Designs for Severe Device Landing Zone Calcification.

Severe device landing zone calcification (DLZ-CA) predicted paravalvular leak (PVL) and post-dilatation (PD) after transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI). The aim of this study was to determine the influence of DLZ-CA on PVL or PD rates after SAPIEN XT (XT) versus CoreValve (CV).We analyzed patients undergoing TAVI who had severe DLZ-CA.

Concomitant mitral annular calcification and severe aortic stenosis: prevalence, characteristics and outcome following transcatheter aortic valve replacement.

Aims: Calcified aortic stenosis (AS) and mitral annular calcification (MAC) have certain similar etiology and pathophysiological mechanisms. MAC is frequently encountered in pre-procedural computed tomography (CT) imaging of patients that undergo transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR), but its prognostic implications for these patients have not been thoroughly investigated. This study sought to evaluate the prevalence of MAC among patients with severe AS and to assess the clinical implications of MAC on these patients during and following TAVR.

Sapien 3 Transcatheter Aortic Valve Implantation With Moderate or Without Predilation.

Objectives: Aortic valve preparation with balloon aortic valvuloplasty (BAV) has been previously considered mandatory during transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) procedures. BAV-inherent risks including stroke, conduction abnormalities, and reduced device profile size established the rationale for safe valve deployment without the need for aggressive valve preparation. We investigate the feasibility and safety of performing Sapien 3 (S3; Edwards Lifesciences) balloon-expandable TAVI with moderate or without predilation (PD).

Aortic Angulation Attenuates Procedural Success Following Self-Expandable But Not Balloon-Expandable TAVR.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of increased aortic angulation (AA) on acute procedural success following transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR).

Background: The degree of angulation between the aorta and the heart can make accurate positioning of the bioprosthesis during TAVR more demanding, particularly in instances of an extremely angulated or horizontal aortic root. Nonetheless, there are limited data on the impact of AA on the acute success of TAVR.

A Bicuspid Aortic Valve Imaging Classification for the TAVR Era.

Objectives: This study sought to evaluate transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) in bicuspid aortic valve (BAV) aortic stenosis (AS), with a particular emphasis on TAVR-directed bicuspid aortic valve imaging (BAVi) of morphological classification.

Background: TAVR has been used to treat BAV-AS but with heterogeneous outcomes and uncertainty regarding the relevance of morphology.

Methods: In 14 centers in the United States, Canada, Europe, and Asia, 130 BAV-AS patients underwent TAVR.

Impact of Diabetes Mellitus on Outcomes After Transcatheter Aortic Valve Implantation.

Several clinical variables have been identified as predictors of clinical outcome after transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI). Nonetheless, there is limited and contradictive data on the impact of diabetes mellitus (DM) on the prognosis of patients who undergo TAVI. We aimed to investigate the clinical characteristics and the early and midterm outcomes after TAVI according to DM status.

Comparison of SAPIEN 3 and SAPIEN XT transcatheter heart valve stent-frame expansion: evaluation using multi-slice computed tomography.

Aims: Stent-frame morphology of the newer-generation, balloon-expandable transcatheter heart valve (THV), the SAPIEN 3 (S3), after transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) is unknown. We evaluated the THV stent-frame morphology post TAVI of the S3 using multi-slice computed tomography (MSCT) compared with the prior-generation THV, SAPIEN XT (S-XT).

Methods And Results: A total of 94 consecutive participants of RESOLVE registry (NCT02318342) had MSCT after balloon-expandable TAVI (S3 = 39 and S-XT = 55).

Clinical impact of coronary protection during transcatheter aortic valve implantation: first reported series of patients.

Aims: Coronary protection with guidewires and an undeployed coronary balloon or stent positioned in the coronary artery is a pre-emptive technique to manage coronary obstruction during transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI). We investigated the feasibility and safety of left main (LM) protection during TAVI.

Methods And Results: Twenty-five out of 623 patients who underwent TAVI at our institute were deemed to be at increased risk of LM compromise mainly due to a low LM ostium height, significant LM disease or a previous bioprosthetic valve.

Vascular response to bioresorbable polymer sirolimus-eluting stent vs. permanent polymer everolimus-eluting stent at 9-month follow-up: an optical coherence tomography sub-study from the CENTURY II trial.

Aims: The Ultimaster bioresorbable polymer sirolimus-eluting stent (BP-SES) is a newly developed drug-eluting stent (DES) that consists of a thin-strut, cobalt chromium with bioresorbable polymer coated only albuminally. We sought to compare tissue coverage in coronary lesions treated with BP-SES with the XIENCE permanent polymer everolimus-eluting stent (PP-EES) using optical coherence tomography (OCT).

Methods And Results: A total of 36 patients participated in the CENTURY II trial in our institution and were randomly assigned to BP-SES (n = 15) and PP-EES (n = 21).