Aortic Valve Replacement Procedures Research Articles

THE ESSENTIAL FRAILTY TOOLSET PREDICTS MORTALITY IN OLDER ADULTS UNDERGOING MITRAL VALVE SURGERY

<h3>BACKGROUND</h3> Frailty is a major risk factor for adverse outcomes in patients undergoing heart valve surgeries, however, ideal measures to identify frailty in a clinical setting remains. The Essential Frailty Toolset (EFT) was developed in patients undergoing aortic valve replacement procedures and was shown to outperform other frailty tools in terms of prognostic value and feasibility. Thus, the objective of this study was to expand the utility of the EFT in another cardiovascular cohort and determine its prognostic value for all-cause mortality in patients undergoing mitral valve surgery. <h3>METHODS AND RESULTS</h3> The McGill Frailty Registry prospectively included patients ≥60 years of age undergoing surgical or percutaneous mitral valve replacement/repair 2011-2020 at two university hospitals (Jewish General Hospital and Royal Victoria Hospital; Montréal, QC). The EFT score was analyzed as a continuous and trichotomous variable. EFT was measured preoperatively and was scored 0 to 5 based on the following 4 components: anemia, hypoalbuminemia, lower extremity weakness defined as time of ≥ 15 seconds or inability to complete 5 chair rises without using arms and cognitive impairment defined as < 24 on Mini-Mental Status Examination. The primary endpoint was 1-year all-cause mortality assessed by logistic regression. The cohort consisted of 202 patients with a mean age of 75.5 ± 7.6 years and a mean EFT of 1.7 ± 1.2 points. In total, 32 (16%) were non-frail with an EFT of 0 points, 114 (56%) were pre-frail with an EFT of 1-2 points, and 56 (28%) were frail with an EFT of 3-5 points. At the 1-year follow-up, 44 deaths were observed. After adjustment, each incremental EFT point was associated with a odds ratio of 1.49 (CI 1.07, 2.08). Compared to those not frail, frail patients had a 5-fold increase in all-cause mortality at 1-year (odds ratio: 5.32, CI 1.07, 26.35) <h3>CONCLUSION</h3> The EFT is pragmatic and a highly prognostic tool to measure frailty and guide decision-making for mitral valve surgery in older adults. Furthermore, the subdomains of the EFT may be actionable through targeted interventions such as cardiac rehabilitation and nutritional optimization.

Sutureless aortic valve replacement: a meta-analysis

Abstract Background and objectives Sutureless aortic valves aim to achieve better outcomes and to aid and facilitate the minimally invasive aortic valve replacement procedure by tackling the issue of cross clamp time, which is an independent predictor of post-operative outcomes especially in patients with serious comorbidities. (2, 3) By reducing the number of sutures, the time for sutures placement is reduced. (1) Our Meta-analysis tries to assess the safety and hemodynamic performance of the sutureless aortic valve prosthesis’s in an attempt to ascertain their benefits as a viable alternative to current established measures. Methodology From their beginnings to February 2017, electronic searches were conducted using six databases. Relevant studies using commercially accessible suture-free valves to replace the aortic valve have been recognized. Based on the predefined endpoints, data were collected and analyzed. Results FC For incorporation in qualitative and quantitative analyses, twenty-four studies were recognized, with a total number of 5073 patients undergoing sutureless aortic valve replacement (SU-AVR). Mortality incidence at 30 days and 12 months follow-ups were 2.5% and 2.7%, respectively, while the incidence of thromboembolic events (1.6%) and paravalvular leak (PVL) (0.5%) were acceptable. Conclusion Current available evidence indicates that sutureless aortic valve replacement is a safe operation showing low mortality and complication rates, with satisfactory hemodynamic performance.

Aortic valve reintervention in patients with failing transcatheter aortic bioprostheses: A statewide experience

BackgroundDespite the rapid adoption of transcatheter aortic valve replacement since its approval, the frequency and outcomes of aortic valve reintervention after transcatheter aortic valve replacement are poorly understood. MethodsValve reinterventions, either surgical transcatheter aortic valve explantation or repeat transcatheter aortic valve replacement, between 2012 and 2019 were queried using the Society of Thoracic Surgeons Database and the Transcatheter Valve Therapy Registry through the Michigan Statewide quality collaborative. The reintervention frequency and clinical outcomes including observed-to-expected mortality ratio using Society of Thoracic Surgeons Predicted Risk of Mortality were reviewed. ResultsAmong 9694 transcatheter aortic valve replacement recipients, a total of 87 patients (0.90%) received a reintervention, consisting of 34 transcatheter aortic valve explants and 53 repeat transcatheter aortic valve replacement procedures. The transcatheter aortic valve explant group demonstrated a higher Society of Thoracic Surgeons Predicted Risk of Mortality. Reintervention cases increased from 0 in 2012 and 2013 to 26 in 2019. The proportion of transcatheter aortic valve explants among all reinterventions increased and was 65% in 2019. Self-expandable devices had a higher reintervention rate than balloon-expandable devices secondary to a higher transcatheter aortic valve explant frequency (0.58% [23/3957] vs 0.19% [11/5737]; P = .001), whereas repeat transcatheter aortic valve replacement rates were similar (0.61% [24/3957] vs 0.51% [29/5737]; P = .51). Among patients with transcatheter aortic valve explants, contraindications to repeat transcatheter aortic valve replacement included unfavorable anatomy (75%), need for other cardiac surgery (29%), other structural issues by transcatheter aortic valve device (18%), and endocarditis (12%). For transcatheter aortic valve explant and repeat transcatheter aortic valve replacement, the 30-day mortality was 15% and 2% (P = .032) and the observed-to-expected mortality ratio was 1.8 and 0.3 (P = .018), respectively. ConclusionsAortic valve reintervention remains rare but is increasing. The clinical impact of surgical device explantation was substantial, and the proportion of transcatheter aortic valve explants was significantly higher in patients with a self-expandable device.

A discrepancy between CT angiography and transesophageal echocardiographic measurements of the annular size affect long-term survival following trans-catheter aortic valve replacement.

Introduction: Accurate measurement of the aortic valve annulus is critical for proper valve sizing for the transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) procedure. While computed tomography angiography (CTA) is the widely-accepted standard, two-dimensional (2D) and three-dimensional(3D) transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) is commonly performed to measure the size of the aortic valve and to verify appropriate seating of prostheses. Methods: Patients undergoing TAVR between 2013-2015 were examined. 2D- and 3D-TEEmeasurements were compared to CTA taken as standard. Patients were followed for at least one year. The presence and effect of discrepancy (defined as a difference of more than 10%) between CTA and TEE measurements on survival were examined. Results: One hundred eighty-five patients (70 men) were included. 2D- and 3D-TEE measurements underestimated the annulus size by -1.49 and -1.32 mm, respectively. Discrepancies > 10% between TEE and CTA methods in estimating the aortic annulus size were associated with a decrease in post implant survival. The peak pressure gradient across the aortic prosthesis measured one year after the implant was higher in patients with an initial discrepancy between 3D-TEE and CTA measurements. In a multivariate cox-regression model, the discrepancy between CTA and 2D-TEE readings and the smaller size of the aortic annular area were the predictors of long-term survival. Conclusion: Both 2D and 3D-TEE underestimate the aortic annulus measurements compared to CTA, with 2D-TEE being relatively more precise than 3D-TEE technology. The presence of a discrepancy between echocardiographic and CTA measurements of the aortic annulus is associated with a lower survival rate.

The Essential Frailty Toolset in Older Adults Undergoing Coronary Artery Bypass Surgery.

BackgroundThe Essential Frailty Toolset (EFT) was shown to be easy to use and predictive of adverse events in patients undergoing aortic valve replacement procedures. The objective of this study was to evaluate the EFT in patients undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting procedures.Methods and ResultsThe McGill Frailty Registry prospectively included patients ≥60 years of age undergoing urgent or elective isolated coronary artery bypass grafting between 2011 and 2018 at 2 hospitals. The preoperative EFT was scored 0 to 5 points as a function of timed chair rises, Mini‐Mental Status Examination, serum albumin, and hemoglobin. The primary outcome was all‐cause mortality assessed by Cox proportional hazards regression. The cohort consisted of 500 patients with a mean age of 71.4 ± 6.4 years, of which 27% presented with acute coronary syndromes requiring urgent surgery. The mean EFT was 1.3 ± 1.1 points, 132 (26%) were nonfrail, 298 (60%) were prefrail, and 70 (14%) were frail. Over a median follow‐up of 4.0 years, 78 deaths were observed. In nonfrail, prefrail, and frail patients, survival at 1 year was 98%, 95%, and 91%, and at 5 years was 89%, 83%, and 63% (P<0.001). After adjustment, each incremental EFT point was associated with a hazard ratio of 1.28 (95% CI, 1.05–1.56) and frail patients had a 3‐fold increase in all‐cause mortality.ConclusionsThe EFT is a pragmatic and highly prognostic tool to assess frailty and guide decisions for coronary artery bypass grafting in older adults. Furthermore, the EFT may be actionable through targeted interventions such as cardiac rehabilitation and nutritional optimization.

Advanced cardiovascular multimodal imaging and aortic stenosis.

Aortic valve stenosis has become the most common valvular heart disease on account ofaging population and increasinglife expectancy. Echocardiography is the primary diagnosis tool for this, but it still has many flaws. Therefore, advanced cardiovascular multimodal imaging techniques are continuously being developed in order to overcome these limitations. Cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (CMR) allows a comprehensive morphological and functional evaluation of the aortic valve and provides important data for the diagnosis and risk stratification in patients with aortic stenosis. CMR canfunctionally assessthe aortic flow using two-dimensional and time-resolved three-dimensional velocity-encoded phase-contrast techniques. Furthermore, by late gadolinium enhancement and T1-mapping, CMR can reveal the presence of both irreversible replacement and diffuse interstitial myocardial fibrosis. Moreover, its role in guiding aortic valve replacement procedures is beginning to take shape. Recent studies have rendered the importance of active and passive biomechanics in risk stratification and prognosis prediction in patients with aortic stenosis, but more work is required is just in its infancy, but data are promising. In addition, cardiac computed tomography is particularly useful for the diagnosis of aortic valve stenosis, and in preprocedural evaluation of the aorta, while positron emission tomography can be also used to assess valvular inflammation and active calcification. The purpose of this review is to provide a comprehensive overview of current available data regarding advanced cardiovascular multimodal imaging in aortic stenosis.

Heart failure following transcatheter aortic valve replacement

ABSTRACT Introduction: Over the past decade, the number of transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) procedures has increased exponentially. Despite major improvements in both device and successes, the rate of hospital readmission after TAVR remains high, with heart failure (HF) decompensation being one of the most important causes. Areas covered: This review provides an overview of the current status of HF following TAVR, including details about its incidence, clinical impact, contributing factors, and current and future treatment perspectives. Expert opinion: HF decompensation has been identified as the most common cause of rehospitalization following TAVR, and it has been associated with a negative prognosis. Multiple preexisting factors including low flow status, cardiac amyloidosis, myocardial fibrosis, multivalvular disease, pulmonary hypertension, coronary artery disease, and atrial fibrillation have been associated with an increased risk of HF events. Also, multiple post-procedural factors like the occurrence of significant paravalvular leaks, severe prosthesis-patient mismatch, and conduction disturbances have also contributed to increase this risk . Thus, reducing HF events in TAVR recipients would require a multifactorial and multidisciplinary effort including the optimization of the medical treatment and close follow-up and treatment of residual or concomitant valvular disease and conduction disturbance issues. Future studies in this challenging group of patients are warranted.

Using Finite Element Analysis To Predict Patient Outcomes Prior To TAVR Procedure Using Patient-specific Models

Introduction: Recent data shows that 11% of patients experience moderate to severe valve regurgitation after a transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) procedure [1]. To this extent, paravalvular leakage is considered the greatest limitation of this minimally invasive intervention. This mandates the need for different ways to predict paravalvular leaks prior to TAVR procedure in order to improve patient outcomes. In this study, we sought to utilize computer-aided design (CAD) and finite element analysis (FEA) in order to predict TAVR paravalvular leak.

Comparing Trajectory of Surgical Aortic Valve Replacement in the Early vs. Late Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement Era.

Background: Traditionally, the only effective treatment for aortic stenosis was surgical aortic valve replacement (SAVR). Transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) was approved in the United States in late 2011 and provided a critical alternative therapy. Our aims were to investigate the trends in the utilization of SAVR in the early vs. late TAVR era and to assess SAVR and TAVR outcomes.Methods: Using the 2011–2017 National Inpatient Sample database, we identified hospitalizations for patients with a most responsible diagnosis of aortic stenosis during which an aortic valve replacement (AVR) was performed, either SAVR or TAVR. Patients' sociodemographic and clinical characteristics, procedure complications, length of stay, and mortality were analyzed. Multivariable analyses were performed to identify predictors of in-hospital mortality. Piecewise regression analyses were performed to assess temporal trends in SAVR and TAVR utilization.Results: A total of 542,734 AVR procedures were analyzed. The utilization of SAVR was steady until 2014 with a significant downward trend in the following years 2015–2017 (P = 0.026). In contrast, a steady upward trend was observed in the TAVR procedure with a significant increase during the years 2015–2017 (P = 0.006). Higher in-hospital mortality was observed in SAVR patients. The mortality rate declined from 2011 to 2017 in a significantly higher proportion in the TAVR compared with the SAVR group.Conclusion: Utilization of SAVR showed a downward trend during the late TAVR era (2015–2017), and TAVR utilization demonstrated a steady upward trend during the years 2011–2017. Higher in-hospital mortality was recorded in patients who underwent SAVR.

Propofol Versus Remifentanil Sedation for Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement: A Single Academic Center Experience

Comparison of remifentanil versus propofol for sedation during transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) procedures to analyze the risk of sedation-related hypoxemia and hypotension. Secondary outcomes included the rate of conversion to general anesthesia, procedure length, rate of intensive care unit (ICU) admission, ICU and hospital lengths of stay, and 30-day mortality. Retrospective cohort study. A single tertiary teaching hospital. Two hundred fifty-nine patients who had propofol or remifentanil sedation for TAVR between March 2017 and March 2020. None. There were 130 patients (50.2%) in the propofol cohort and 129 patients (49.8%) in the remifentanil cohort. The primary outcomes were oxygen saturation nadir values and vasopressor infusion use. Remifentanil was associated with a lower oxygen saturation nadir, as compared to propofol (91.3% v . 95.4%, p < 0.001). Risk factors associated with hypoxemia (defined as <92%) were body mass index (p = 0.0004), obstructive sleep apnea (p = 0.004), and remifentanil maintenance (p < 0.001). Vasopressor infusion use was significantly higher with propofol (64.9% v . 8.5%, p < 0.001). Propofol maintenance and angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor/angiotensin II receptor-blocker use were the only variables identified as risk factors for vasopressor use (p < 0.001 and p = 0.009). For patients undergoing TAVR with conscious sedation, remifentanil was associated with more hypoxemia while propofol was associated with a higher rate of vasopressor use.

The Cognitive Relevance of a Formal Pre-incision Time-out in Surgery.

Surgical time-outs are designed to promote situation awareness, teamwork, and error prevention. The pre-incision time-out in particular aims to facilitate shared mental models prior to incision. Objective, unbiased measures to confirm its effectiveness are lacking. We hypothesized that providers’ mental workload would reveal team psychophysiological mirroring during a formal, well-executed pre-incision time-out. Heart rate variability was collected during cardiac surgery cases from the surgeon, anesthesiologist, and perfusionist. Data were analyzed for six cases from patient arrival until sternal closure. Annotation of surgical phases was completed according to previously developed standardized process models of aortic valve replacement and coronary artery bypass graft procedures, producing thirteen total surgical phases. Statistical analysis revealed significant main effects. Tukey HSD post hoc tests revealed significant differences across provider roles within various phases, including Anesthesia Induction, Heparinization, Initiation of Bypass, Aortic Clamp and Cardioplegia, Anastomoses or Aortotomy, Separation from Bypass, and Sternal Closure. Despite these observed differences between providers over various surgical phases, the Pre-incision Time-out phase revealed almost negligible differences across roles. This preliminary work supports the utility of the pre-incision safety checklist to focus the attention of surgical team members and promote shared team mental models, measured via psychophysiological mirroring, using an objective mental workload measure. Future studies should investigate the relationship between psychophysiological mirroring among surgical team members and the effectiveness of the pre-incision time-out checklist.

A distributionally robust optimization approach for coordinating clinical and surgical appointments

In this article, we address a two-stage scheduling problem that requires coordination between clinical and surgical appointments for specialized surgeries. First, patients have a clinical appointment with a surgeon to determine whether they are an appropriate candidate for the surgical procedure. Subsequently, if the decision to pursue the surgery is made the patient undergoes the procedure on a later date. However, the scheduling process aims to book both the clinical and surgical appointments for a patient at the time of the initial appointment request. Two sources of uncertainty make this scheduling process challenging: (i) the patient may or may not need surgery after the clinical appointment and (ii) the surgery duration for each patient and procedure is unknown. We present a Distributionally Robust Optimization (DRO) approach for coordinating clinical and surgical appointments under these uncertainties. A case study of the Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement procedure at Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN is presented. Numerical results include comparisons with the current practice and four heuristic scheduling policies from the literature. Results show that the DRO-based scheduling policies lead to lower total surgeon idle-time and overtime per day. The proposed policies also restrict the under and over utilization of clinical capacity.

Clinical Impact of Crossover Techniques for Primary Access Hemostasis in Transfemoral Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement Procedures.

To determine the occurrence of vascular complications (VCs) following transfemoral transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) with new-generation devices according to the use of a crossover technique (COT). The use of a COT (with/without balloon) has been associated with a reduction of VCs in TAVR patients. However, scarce data support its use with second-generation devices. Also, its potential benefit in obese patients (at high-risk of VCs) has not been elucidated. A multicenter study including 2214 patients who underwent full percutaneous transfemoral TAVR (COT, 1522 patients; no COT, 692 patients). Thirty-day events were evaluated according to the use of a COT using a multivariate logistic regression model. A subanalysis was performed in obese patients. Primary access major VCs (3.5% COT vs 3.9% no COT; P=.19), major/life-threatening bleeding (3.4% COT vs 2.0% no COT; P=.33), and mortality rates (2.4% COT vs 2.6% no COT; P=.23) were similar between groups. However, minor VCs (11.7% COT vs 5.9% no COT; P<.001) and postprocedural acute renal failure (8.9% COT vs 3.9% no COT; P<.001) were higher in patients undergoing the COT. In the overall cohort, percutaneous closure device failure was more frequent in obese patients (4.0% in the obese group vs 1.9% in the non-obese group; P<.01), but these differences were no longer significant in those undergoing a COT (3.4% in the obese group vs 2.0% in the non-obese group; P=.12). Indeed, in the subset of obese patients, the COT tended to be associated with fewer VCs (3.4% COT vs 5.9% no COT; P=.09). The use of a COT was not associated with a reduction of major VCs or improved outcomes. However, some patient subsets, such as those with higher body mass index, may benefit from the use of a COT. These findings would suggest the application of a tailored strategy, following a risk-benefit assessment in each TAVR candidate.

The progeria research foundation 10th international scientific workshop; researching possibilities, ExTENding lives - webinar version scientific summary.

Progeria is an ultra-rare (prevalence 1 in 20 million), fatal, pediatric autosomal dominant premature aging disease caused by a mutation in the LMNA gene. This mutation results in accumulation of a high level of an aberrant form of the nuclear membrane protein, Lamin A. This aberrant protein, termed progerin, accumulates in many tissues and is responsible for the diverse array of disease phenotypes. Children die predominantly from premature atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease. The Progeria Research Foundation’s 10th International Scientific Workshop took place via webinar on November 2 and 3, 2020. Participants from 30 countries joined in this new, virtual meeting format. Patient family presentations led the program, followed by updates on Progeria’s first-ever application for FDA drug approval as well as initial results from the only current Progeria clinical trial. This was followed by presentations of unpublished preclinical data on drugs in development targeting the disease-causing DNA mutation, the aberrant mRNA, progerin protein, and its downstream effector proteins. Tying bench to bedside, clinicians presented new discoveries on the natural history of disease to inform future clinical trial development and new Progeria aortic valve replacement procedures. The program engaged the Progeria research community as a single unit with a common goal – to treat and cure children with Progeria worldwide.

An Algorithm for Pairing Interventionalists and Surgeons for the TAVR Procedure.

The Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement (TAVR) procedure requires an initial consultation and a subsequent procedure by an interventionalist (IC) and surgeon. The IC-surgeon pair coordination is extremely challenging, especially at Mayo Clinic due to provider time commitments distributed across practice, research, and education activities. Current practice aims to establish the coordination manually, resulting in a scheduling process that is cumbersome and time consuming for the schedulers. We develop an algorithm for pairing ICs and surgeons that minimizes the lead time (days elapsed between the clinic consult and procedure). As compared to current practice, this algorithm is able to reduce average lead time by 59% and increase possible IC-surgeon pairs by 7%. The proposed algorithm is shown to be flexible enough to incorporate practice variations such as lead time upper bound and two procedure days for a single consult day. Algorithm alternatives are also presented for practices who may find the proposed algorithm infeasible for their practice.

Minimally invasive redo aortic valve replacement with a sutureless valve implant.

Reoperations for a dysfunctional mechanical aortic valve prosthesis are usually performed with a repeat sternotomy. Reopening the chest may be associated with a heart structure tear, bleeding, excessive transfusion, and a possible unfavorable outcome. Experience performing a redo aortic valve replacement with a minimally invasive approach and avoiding lysis of the pericardial adhesions is growing. We describe a redo aortic valve replacement procedure performed because of subvalvular pannus formation in a patient with a mechanical prosthesis. A partial J-shaped hemisternotomy at the 3rd intercostal space was performed; the ascending aorta was exposed and the valve was replaced with a sutureless bioprosthesis. The video tutorial shows the surgical approach, cardiopulmonary bypass solutions, and sutureless valve deployment.

The association of prior carpal tunnel syndrome surgery with adverse cardiovascular outcomes and long-term mortality after aortic valve replacement.

AimsPatients undergoing aortic valve replacement (AVR) for severe aortic stenosis have a 6–16% prevalence of occult cardiac amyloidosis. Carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) is common in cardiac amyloidosis, but whether prior CTS surgery has a prognostic impact in patients undergoing AVR is unknown. This study examined the association between prior CTS surgery and adverse cardiovascular outcomes in patients treated with AVR.Methods and resultsUsing Danish nationwide registries, we retrospectively identified patients undergoing first-time AVR from 2005 to 2018, examining the association between previous CTS and adverse cardiovascular outcomes the following 5 years after the AVR procedure. Cumulative incidence functions and adjusted Cox proportional hazard models were used to assess differences. Among 19,211 patients undergoing AVR, 2.5% (n = 472) had prior CTS surgery. Patients in the CTS-cohort were significantly older (median age 75.7 [IQR 68.1–82.3] vs 73.7 [IQR 66.0–79.6]), more often female and had more comorbidities. Prior CTS surgery was not associated with differences in hospitalization for heart failure (11.2% [95% CI 8.3–14.7] vs 9.4% [95% CI 9.0–9.9]), atrial fibrillation (11.1% [95% CI 8.2–14.5] vs 11.2% [95% CI 10.8–11.7]) or pacemaker implantation (6.2% [95% CI 4.0–9.0] vs 5.1% [95% CI 4.8–5.5]). The 5-year mortality (32.8% [27.6–38.0] vs 25.2% [24.5–25.9]) was higher in the CTS-cohort. CTS was significantly associated with increased 5-year mortality (HR 1.27 [1.05–1.53]) in crude models, however, after multivariable adjustment prior CTS surgery was not associated with adverse cardiovascular outcomes.ConclusionPrevious CTS surgery was not associated with increased risk for adverse cardiovascular outcomes after AVR.

Meta-Analysis of Stroke and Mortality Rates in Patients Undergoing Valve-in-Valve Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement.

BackgroundDuring the past decade, the use of transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) was extended beyond treatment‐naïve patients and implemented for treatment of degenerated surgical bioprosthetic valves. Selection criteria for either valve‐in‐valve (viv) TAVR or redo surgical aortic valve replacement are not well established, and decision making on the operative approach still remains challenging for the interdisciplinary heart team.Methods and ResultsThis review was intended to analyze all studies on viv‐TAVR focusing on short‐ and mid‐term stroke and mortality rates compared with redo surgical aortic valve replacement or native TAVR procedures. A structured literature search and review process led to 1667 potentially relevant studies on July 1, 2020. Finally, 23 studies fulfilled the inclusion criteria for qualitative analysis. All references were case series either with or without propensity score matching and registry analyses. Quantitative synthesis of data from 8509 patients revealed that viv‐TAVR is associated with mean 30‐day stroke and mortality rates of 2.2% and 4.2%, respectively. Pooled data analysis showed no significant differences in 30‐day stroke rate, 30‐day mortality, and 1‐year mortality between viv‐TAVR and comparator treatment (native TAVR [n=11 804 patients] or redo surgical aortic valve replacement [n=498 patients]).ConclusionsThis review is the first one comparing the risk for stroke and mortality rates in viv‐TAVR procedures with native TAVR approach and contributes substantial data for the clinical routine. Moreover, this systematic review is the most comprehensive analysis on ischemic cerebrovascular events and early mortality in patients undergoing viv‐TAVR. In this era with increasing numbers of bioprosthetic valves used in younger patients, viv‐TAVR is a suitable option for the treatment of degenerated bioprostheses.

SAVR contemporary outcomes in TAVI era: Still a valid option for the future

The advent of transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) has changed the way aortic stenosis (AS) is treated. In the last decade, the improvement of techniques and the development of more performing devices helped in granting TAVI approval for its use in high- and intermediate-risk patients and more recently in low-risk patients. With the majority of surgical aortic valve replacement (SAVR) procedures being done on low-risk patients, recent results from the PARTNER 3 and Evolut Low Risk trials have ignited the question of TAVI use in patient category as well as an alternative to SAVR. The paper by a group from the Royal Papworth Hospital from the University of Cambridge, UK, published in the Journal of Cardiac Surgery, should serve as concrete proof that SAVR remains an excellent option with favorable outcomes in the treatment of AS. It is a wake-up call to the entire surgical community to push forward to ameliorate outcomes and reduce complications through innovation and experience, newer surgical techniques, better equipment, and improved valves to adapt to the changing world of heart valve diseases.

Frailty Predicts Adverse Outcomes in Older Patients Undergoing Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement (TAVR): From the National Inpatient Sample

ObjectiveWe aimed to study the impact of frailty on the outcome of transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) procedures. MethodsThe National Inpatient Sample (NIS) database was queried for all patients aged ≥65 years who underwent a TAVR procedure during the years 2016–2017. Frailty was measured using a previously validated Hospital Frailty Risk Score (HFRS) scoring system. The score is ICD-10 code based; thus, it can be calculated from an administrative database. Study outcomes were in-hospital all-cause mortality, peri-procedural complications, length of stay, and total cost. Outcomes were modeled using logistic regression for binary outcomes and generalized linear regression for continuous outcomes. ResultsThere were 84,750 patients included in the study. These patients were divided into low-risk (61,050), intermediate-risk (22,955), and high-risk (744), based on average frailty index scores of 2, 7, and 16.8, respectively. On multivariable analysis, the HFRS correlated with increased odds for mortality with an adjusted odd ratio (a-OR) of 1.25 (95% CI: 1.22–1.29, p < 0.001), myocardial infarction [a-OR 1.10 (95% CI: 1.07–1.13, p < 0.001)], pericardiocentesis [a-OR 1.16 (95% CI: 1.12–1.20, p < 0.001)], pacemaker insertion [a-OR 1.06 (95% CI: 1.04–1.08, p < 0.001)], blood transfusion [a-OR 1.14 (95% CI: 1.11–1.16, p < 0.001)], vascular complications [a-OR 1.05 (95% CI: 1.00–1.09, p = 0.03)], longer length of stay [a-MR 1.10 (95% CI: 1.10–1.11, p < 0.001)] and higher cost [a-MR: 1.04 (95% CI: 1.03–1.04, p < 0.001)]. ConclusionThe HFRS can be utilized in the risk stratification of older patients undergoing TAVR.