Percutaneous Valvular Interventions Research Articles

Abstract 11994: Lithotripsy-Assisted Transcatheter Aortic Valve Implantation: An Emerging Approach to Vascular Access Issues in Severe Peripheral Arterial Disease

Introduction: Advances in minimally invasive valvular interventions like transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) allow for treatment of an increasingly older population. Severe calcific iliofemoral peripheral arterial disease (PAD) can preclude large sheath introduction necessary in TAVI. Conventional peripheral angioplasty has limited efficacy in these situations given its high-pressure dilation, which increases the risk of vascular complications. Intravascular shockwave lithotripsy (IVL) for PAD is an emerging and safe alternative for vascular access. Case Description: A 90-year-old man with severe symptomatic aortic stenosis (AS), coronary artery disease (CAD) status-post CABG and extensive PAD was referred for TAVI following balloon aortic valvuloplasty. Transthoracic echocardiogram showed severe, low-flow, low-gradient AS despite recent balloon aortic valvuloplasty. Abdominal imaging showed severe atherosclerosis and calcification of the bilateral common and external iliac arteries. Prior to TAVI, peripheral angiogram was performed, followed by IVL for a total of nine runs, each for fifteen seconds with a 7x60mm balloon to the right iliac and femoral arteries. Then, the right femoral groin sheath was upsized from six to eighteen French, followed by deployment of a 29mm Medtronic Evolute Pro+ self-expanding bioprosthetic aortic valve. Following successful TAVI, the patient was discharged home on aspirin and clopidogrel. Conclusion: IVL utilizes pulsatile mechanical shockwaves to modify plaque burden without altering arterial elasticity or structural integrity, which greatly reduces the risk for vascular complications in severely calcified arteries. The DISRUPT-PAD-III trial showed IVL was superior to percutaneous transluminal angioplasty with fewer complications in patients with calcified PAD. Therefore, IVL can be a safe alternative approach for PAD limiting vascular access in percutaneous valvular interventions.

SAFETY AND FEASIBILITY OF LEFT BUNDLE BRANCH AREA PACING FOLLOWING VALVULAR INTERVENTIONS: MULTI-CENTER STUDY

<h3>BACKGROUND</h3> Left bundle branch area pacing (LBBAP) has emerged as a promising pacing modality for physiologic pacing. Atrioventricular heart block is a common complication after a valvular intervention but there are limited data on the performance of LBBAP in this population. The aim of this study is to evaluate the safety and feasibility of LBBAP in patients with valvular interventions. <h3>METHODS AND RESULTS</h3> Seventy-nine patients were included in this study. All patients underwent surgical or percutaneous valvular interventions. LBBAP was attempted in all patients. Implant success rates, peri- and post procedure ECG, pacing parameters, and complications were assessed at implant, and during follow-up. LBBAP implantation was successful in 75/79 (95 %) patients. Mean age was 70.9 ± 13.8 years and 65 % patients were male. Prior interventions included TAVR (25), SAVR (34), combined surgical AVR plus MVR (6), MVR (8), TVR (1), and PVR (1). Average LVEF was 52.6 ± 10.7 %. Total procedure duration was 74.3 ± 37.3 min and fluoroscopic duration was 9.8 ± 7.0 min. Pacing parameters were stable during follow up period of 8.1 ± 4.9 months. Pacing QRS duration was significantly narrower than baseline QRS duration (130.5 ± 30.6 ms vs. 113.9 ± 14.0 ms, p < 0.001, respectively). No acute complications were observed. However, during follow-up period there were 3 complications (two superficial infections and one infective endocarditis) and 2 patients had loss of LBBAP within 1 month of implant. <h3>CONCLUSION</h3> LBBAP is feasible and safe pacing modality in patients with prior interventions for valvular heart disease.

Safety and feasibility of left bundle branch area pacing following valvular interventions: Multicenter study.

To evaluate the safety and feasibility of left bundle branch area pacing (LBBAP) in patients with valvular interventions. Eighty-four patients were included in this study. All patients underwent recent surgical or percutaneous valvular interventions. LBBAP was attempted in all patients. Implant success rates, peri- and postprocedure electrocardiogram, pacing parameters, and complications were assessed at implant, and during follow-up. LBBAP implantation was successful in 80/84 (95%) patients. Mean age was 74.1 ± 13.8 years and 56% patients were male. Prior valvular replacements included: percutaneous aortic (26), surgical aortic (36), combined surgical aortic plus mitral (6), MVR (10), tricuspid (1), and pulmonic (1). Average LVEF was 52.6 ± 11%. Majority of patients underwent LBBAP due to atrioventricular block (76%) and sinus node disease (13%). Total procedure duration was 74.1 ± 12.5 min and fluoroscopic duration was 9.7 ± 6.8 min. Pacing parameters were stable during follow-up period of 10.0 ± 6.3 months. Pacing QRS duration was significantly narrower than baseline QRS duration (131.5 ± 31.4 ms vs. 114.3 ± 13.7 ms, p < .001, respectively). No acute complications were observed. Mean follow-up was 10.0 ± 6.3 months (median: 8.4 months, min: 1 and max: 24 months). During follow-up, there were three device infections and two patients had loss of LBBA capture within 1 month of implant. LBBAP is a feasible and safe pacing modality in patients with prior interventions for valvular heart disease.

Pressure Volume System for Management of Heart Failure and Valvular Heart Disease.

To introduce the reader to the basics of pressure-volume (PV) analysis, its current role in management of heart failure and valvular disease, and the possibilities for future use. The recent introduction of FDA-approved miniaturized conductance catheters that can produce PV loops in the clinical setting has set the stage for the translation of this important research technique into clinical practice. The use of these catheters has shed important insights into the pathophysiology of many common conditions associated with heart failure including heart failure with preserved ejection fraction and right heart failure and has been utilized to assist in optimization of lead placement during cardiac resynchronization therapy. The use of PV loops has enhanced our understanding and diagnosis of common conditions associated with heart failure. In addition, it has shown promise as an adjunct to therapeutic procedures. Future directions may include the use of PV loops in the management of patients with heart failure requiring mechanical circulatory support and to help predict the utility of percutaneous valvular interventions.

The beginning of a new era in the field of percutaneous valvular interventions (PARTNER 3 and Evolut Low Risk trials).

The beginning of a new era in the field of percutaneous valvular interventions (PARTNER 3 and Evolut Low Risk trials).

Imaging During Percutaneous Valvular Heart DiseaseInterventions: Is More Better or Less?

Percutaneous valvular interventions have become a valid option in the treatment of valvular heart disease (VHD) for patients with prohibited surgical risk and multiple comorbidities. Multimodality imaging plays an increasingly central role in the evaluation of these interventions in which precise guidance for appropriate and accurate positioning of the device is mandatory. This review will discuss the role of these imaging modalities in patient selection and the pre-procedural assessment of the valve, intra-procedural guidance and, ultimately, result evaluation.

Percutaneous pulmonary and tricuspid valve implantations: An update.

The field of percutaneous valvular interventions is one of the most exciting and rapidly developing within interventional cardiology. Percutaneous procedures focusing on aortic and mitral valve replacement or interventional treatment as well as techniques of percutaneous pulmonary valve implantation have already reached worldwide clinical acceptance and routine interventional procedure status. Although techniques of percutaneous pulmonary valve implantation have been described just a decade ago, two stent-mounted complementary devices were successfully introduced and more than 3000 of these procedures have been performed worldwide. In contrast, percutaneous treatment of tricuspid valve dysfunction is still evolving on a much earlier level and has so far not reached routine interventional procedure status. Taking into account that an "interdisciplinary challenging", heterogeneous population of patients previously treated by corrective, semi-corrective or palliative surgical procedures is growing inexorably, there is a rapidly increasing need of treatment options besides redo-surgery. Therefore, the review intends to reflect on clinical expansion of percutaneous pulmonary and tricuspid valve procedures, to update on current devices, to discuss indications and patient selection criteria, to report on clinical results and finally to consider future directions.

Interventional Echocardiography

Echocardiography guidance for interventions in the catheterization laboratory allows for reduction in radiation exposure from fluoroscopy as well as superior anatomic definition and visualization. The additional information provided over fluoroscopy has translated into an increasing use during interventional procedures. Procedures such as transeptal puncture, percutaneous valvular interventions, myocardial biopsy, echo-guided pericardiocentesis and other interventions have evolved to a complexity level that requires combined echocardiographic and fluoroscopic guidance. Different imaging modalities are utilized in the catheterization laboratory including intracardiac echocardiography, two-dimensional (2D) or three-dimensional (3D) transthoracic echocardiography, and 2D or 3D transesophageal echocardiography. This review is intended to provide an overall summary of the impact echocardiography has had in the catheterization laboratory. We will describe how echocardiography is utilized to guide a diverse array of interventional procedures, emphasizing specific practical issues with respect to echocardiographic guidance of interventional procedures and also pointing out the limitations of echocardiography.

Most Important Outcomes Research Papers on Valvular Heart Disease

The following are highlights from the new series, Circulation: Cardiovascular Quality and Outcomes Topic Reviews. This series will summarize the most important manuscripts, as selected by the Editor, which have been published in the Circulation portfolio. The objective of this new series is to provide our readership with a timely, comprehensive selection of important papers that are relevant to the quality and outcomes as well as general cardiology audience. The studies included in this article represent the most significant research in the area of valvular heart disease. ( Circ Cardiovasc Quality and Outcomes . 2012;5:-e103.) In recent years, no field of clinical cardiology has experienced a great influx of transformational therapeutic options as has the area of valvular heart disease. Treatment of severe aortic stenosis (AS) has been revolutionized by transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR), which has been shown to improve life expectancy and functional outcomes in patients with inoperable AS1,2 and to have short-term outcomes comparable to surgical aortic valve replacement (AVR) in patients at high perioperative risk.3,4 Analogously, mitral valve disease has been amenable to percutaneous valve replacement,5,6 as well as clipping procedures7 that can substantively reduce severe mitral regurgitation (MR) and improve functional outcomes. Even right-sided heart disease involving valves in pulmonary8,9 and tricuspid10 positions has been treated successfully with endovascular techniques. Yet, even with this growing focus on percutaneous valvular interventions, open surgical techniques remain the dominant treatment strategies and standard of care for most advanced lesions. Surgical valve repair and replacement account for 10% to 20% of all cardiac surgical procedures,11–13 approximately two thirds of which are for AS.11–13 For patients undergoing surgery, there remains considerable debate about risk stratification,14 intraoperative technique,15 and postoperative …

Percutaneous pulmonary valve implantation: an update

The field of percutaneous valvular interventions is one of the most exciting and rapidly developing within interventional cardiology. Percutaneous pulmonary valve implantation (PPVI) represents the first in-human application of these techniques and is a nonsurgical option for treating right ventricular outflow tract/pulmonary trunk dysfunction. With the growing numbers of patients with right ventricle to pulmonary artery conduit dysfunction after repair of congenital heart disease, the importance of a technique with lower morbidity and mortality, good patient acceptance and efficacy, that is comparable to surgery, cannot be underestimated. Over the last 9 years, PPVI has become a feasible, safe and effective treatment for both conduit stenosis and regurgitation. Median follow-up data show good freedom from reoperation and recatheterization and demonstrate that PPVI can postpone open-heart surgery, thereby potentially reducing the number of operations that patients have to undergo within their lifetime. Complications seen after PPVI, in particular stent fractures, can require reintervention in some cases (second stent-in-stent PPVI); however, valve competency remains good, with significant regurgitation during follow-up only seen in the context of occasional endocarditis. Attempts are now being made to prolong the lifespan of the device by reducing the incidence of stent fractures. Further, meticulous patient selection must be maintained to ensure that hemodynamic results are optimized and the safety of the procedure remains high. Finally, new devices have to be developed that will allow for PPVI in dilated, distensible outflow tracts, to offer this nonsurgical treatment option to a larger patient population with congenital heart disease.

Contemporary surgical or percutaneous management of severe aortic stenosis in the elderly

To assess patient characteristics, therapeutic options, and their results in patients referred to a tertiary centre with on-site capabilities for surgical and percutaneous valvular interventions for the management of severe symptomatic aortic stenosis (AS). Sixty-six consecutive patients >70 years (83 +/- 6 years) were referred for severe AS. Their mortality risk predicted by the logistic European System for Cardiac Operative Risk Evaluation and the Society of Thoracic Surgeons-Predicted Risk of Mortality scores were on average 20 +/- 14% and 17 +/- 7%, respectively. Thirty-nine patients (59%) were considered at high-risk for surgery or inoperable after multidisciplinary evaluation: 12 (31%) underwent a transfemoral aortic valve implantation and 27 were considered unsuitable and treated medically (n = 16) or with valvuloplasty (n = 7), or were re-directed towards surgery (n = 4). The 27 other patients underwent valve replacement. In-hospital mortality was 9% (6 of 66). There were three hospital deaths in patients treated percutaneously, two in those treated medically, and one after surgery. At 6 months, 10% (6 of 60) of the survivors died: two after valvuloplasty and four after medical treatment. A large proportion of elderly patients referred for management of severe AS have a high-risk profile. The availability of percutaneous valvular interventions increases the number of those who are offered interventions.