A new simple technique for stabilizing the guidewire position within the left ventricle during transcatheter mitral valve-in-valve implantation.

Transcatheter mitral valve-in-valve implantation is a preferred treatment for degenerating mitral bioprosthetic valves in high-risk surgical patients. A balloon-expandable transcatheter heart valve delivered through a postero-inferior transseptal puncture is deployed within the prosthesis over a guidewire secured in the left ventricle. Patients with aneurysmal left atrium and altered angulation between the planes of atrial septum and mitral prosthesis have unstable position of the guidewire that flips out of the left ventricle into the left atrium when the valve delivery system is advanced. Instead of a transapical access to snare the guidewire and create a railroad in such instances, we report a new technique of transarterial retrograde snaring of the guidewire in the left ventricle for stabilization.

A Vascular Plug for Persistent Shock Following Transcatheter Mitral Valve Replacement.

A 78-year-old woman with severe bioprosthetic mitral valve degeneration underwent successful transcatheter mitral valve replacement with a valve-in-valve procedure. This case postprocedure was complicated by cardiogenic shock from left ventricular perforation and underscores the importance of the accurate assessment and treatment of patients following transcatheter valvular procedures.

Cerebral Embolic Protection: Is There a Benefit for Left Atrial and Mitral Valve Procedures?

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: This review aims to highlight the current evidence on the use of cerebral embolic protection devices (CEPD) in left atrial and transcatheter mitral valve procedures. It also aims to summarize the antithrombotic management of patients undergoing such procedures. RECENT FINDINGS: Ischemic stroke is one of the most devastating complications of structural heart procedures. The manifestation of periprocedural stroke can range from asymptomatic and detectable only through brain imaging to major stroke with neurological deficits. CEP devices were initially developed to mitigate the risk of stroke associated with transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR). However, the efficacy of such devices during different cardiac interventions is yet to be fully demonstrated, especially in left atrial appendage closure (LAAO), and mitral valve interventions. Few studies demonstrated that the risk of periprocedural strokes after LAAO and mitral valve interventions is not negligible and is highest during the periprocedural period and then falls. The majority of patients undergoing those procedures have cerebral ischemic injuries detected on diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (DW-MRI). Moreover, a reasonable number of those patients had debris embolization on the filters of the CEPD. Pharmacological therapy with antithrombotic agents before, during, or after structural heart interventions is crucial and should be tailored to each patient's risk of bleeding and ischemia. Close monitoring that includes a full neurological assessment and frequent follow-up visits with cardiac echocardiography are important. The risk of periprocedural stroke in left atrial and transcatheter mitral valve procedures is not negligible. Pharmacological therapy with antithrombotic agents before, during, or after structural heart interventions is important to mitigate the risk of stroke, especially the long-term risk. More prospective studies are needed to assess the efficacy of CEPD in such procedures.

Left ventricular outflow tract obstruction after transcatheter mitral valve replacement: a case report with a multifaceted approach.

An 83-year-old woman was admitted to our center because of heart failure. Transthoracic echocardiography revealed severe mitral annular calcification resulting in a double mitral valve lesion. After discussion by the heart team, transcatheter mitral valve replacement with Tendyne (Abbott Structural, Santa Clara, CA, USA) was performed. Despite having a predicted neo-left ventricular outflow tract (LVOT) above the cut-off value, the patient developed clinically significant LVOT obstruction (LVOTO) refractory to medical treatment. This situation is often treated before the intervention, and dealing with LVOTO afterward can be challenging. After taking the patient's anatomy into consideration, we decided to perform alcohol septal ablation. Applying a combined strategy of medical treatment and intervention led to success. In this case report, we discuss this event and the strategies available for preventing and managing the condition.

Impact and limitations of 3D computational modelling in transcatheter mitral valve replacement-a two-centre Dutch experience.

BACKGROUND: Transcatheter mitral valve replacement (TMVR) has emerged as a minimally invasive alternative to mitral valve surgery for patients at high or prohibitive operative risk. Prospective studies reported favourable outcomes in patients with annulus calcification (valve-in-mitral annulus calcification; ViMAC), failed annuloplasty ring (mitral valve-in-ring; MViR), and bioprosthetic mitral valve dysfunction (mitral valve-in-valve; MViV). Multi-slice computed tomography (MSCT)-derived 3D-modelling and simulations may provide complementary anatomical perspectives for TMVR planning. AIMS: We aimed to illustrate the implementation of MSCT-derived modelling and simulations in the workup of TMVR for ViMAC, MViR, and MViV. METHODS: For this retrospective study, we included all consecutive patients screened for TMVR and compared MSCT data, echocardiographic outcomes and clinical outcomes. RESULTS: Sixteen out of 41 patients were treated with TMVR (ViMAC n = 9, MViR n = 3, MViV n = 4). Eleven patients were excluded for inappropriate sizing, 4 for anchoring issues and 10 for an unacceptable risk of left ventricular outflow tract obstruction (LVOTO) based on 3D modelling. There were 3 procedure-related deaths and 1 non-procedure-related cardiovascular death during 30 days of follow-up. LVOTO occurred in 3 ViMAC patients and 1 MViR patient, due to deeper valve implantation than planned in 3 patients, and anterior mitral leaflet displacement with recurrent basal septum thickening in 1 patient. TMVR significantly reduced mitral mean gradients as compared with baseline measurements (median mean gradient 9.5 (9.0-11.5) mm Hg before TMVR versus 5.0 (4.5-6.0) mm Hg after TMVR, p = 0.03). There was no residual mitral regurgitation at 30 days. CONCLUSION: MSCT-derived 3D modelling and simulation provide valuable anatomical insights for TMVR with transcatheter balloon expandable valves in ViMAC, MViR and MViV. Further planning iterations should target the persistent risk for neo-LVOTO.

Iatrogenic atrial septal defects in structural heart interventions: Opening the Pandora's box.

In the modern era of structural heart interventions, the total number of transseptal procedures is growing exponentially, thus increasing the rate and need for management of iatrogenic atrial septal defects (iASDs). To date, there are no official guidelines on the assessment and management of iASDs, due to inconclusive evidence on whether patients benefit more from the percutaneous closure of iASD than from conservative management and vigorous follow-up. Despite the abundance of observational studies on iASDs, there is still a lack of randomized studies. Evidence so far show that percutaneous closure is no superior over conservative treatment in patients with iASDs, however, it has been demonstrated that patients with spontaneous closure of iASDs experience less heart failure (HF) hospitalizations. On the other hand, researchers have investigated the beneficial nature of interatrial shunt therapy in patients with HFpEF and, more recently, with HFrEF, due to the presumed hemodynamic benefits. Herein, we provide an updated review of relevant literature, focusing on iASD persistence rates, predicting factors for their persistence, and clinical outcomes of iASD persistence, to summarize available evidence and discuss future directions in the field.

5-Year Outcomes of Anterior Mitral Leaflet Laceration to Prevent Outflow Obstruction.

BACKGROUND: Left ventricular outflow tract (LVOT) obstruction is a common, often fatal complication of transcatheter mitral valve replacement (TMVR). Laceration of the anterior mitral leaflet to prevent outflow obstruction (LAMPOON) was safe and effective at preventing LVOT obstruction at 30 days in the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute LAMPOON trial. OBJECTIVES: The authors report the 5-year outcomes of intentional anterior mitral leaflet laceration before SAPIEN 3 TMVR, in patients at risk of LVOT obstruction. METHODS: The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute LAMPOON trial was a prospective, multicenter, single-arm safety and feasibility study of LAMPOON and transseptal SAPIEN 3 TMVR in annuloplasty rings (valve-in-ring) or native mitral annular calcification (MAC) (valve-in-MAC). All subjects had high predicted risk for LVOT obstruction. Subjects were not excluded for excessive frailty or comorbidity. The primary endpoints were technical success and safety at 30 days. Secondary clinical and echocardiographic endpoints were assessed at 1 year and clinical follow-up at 5 years. RESULTS: Thirty subjects were enrolled between June 2017 and June 2018, equally between the valve-in-MAC and valve-in-ring arms. At 30 days, LAMPOON was successful in all 30 subjects, with no strokes, 1 (3%) death, and 1 (3%) moderate LVOT obstruction. Eighteen (65%) survived to 1 year, and 7 (25%) survived to 5 years. Six (20%) were hospitalized for heart failure in the first year. From baseline to 1 year, there was a 24-point improvement in Kansas City Cardiomyopathy Questionnaire score and a 60-m improvement in 6-minute walk distance. There was no significant change in N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide. At 1 year, LVOT gradients remained low. CONCLUSIONS: LAMPOON enabled TMVR despite the risk for LVOT obstruction. There were no long-term complications associated with LAMPOON. The selection of inoperable patients limited assessment of long-term survival following TMVR. (NHLBI DIR LAMPOON Study: Intentional Laceration of the Anterior Mitral Leaflet to Prevent Left Ventricular Outflow Tract Obstruction During Transcatheter Mitral Valve Implantation; NCT03015194).

Outcomes Following Transcatheter Mitral Valve Replacement Using Dedicated Devices in Patients With Mitral Annular Calcification.

BACKGROUND: Patients with mitral regurgitation (MR) and morphologic presence of relevant mitral annular calcification (MAC) represent a challenging phenotypic subset with limited treatment options. OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to assess the feasibility of transcatheter mitral valve replacement (TMVR) using dedicated devices for the treatment of MAC patients. METHODS: Consecutive patients with symptomatic MR receiving TMVR and with available computed tomography data from the CHOICE-MI (Choice of Optimal Transcatheter Treatment for Mitral Insufficiency) multicenter registry were stratified by the presence of none or mild mitral annular calcification (MACnone/mild) vs moderate or severe mitral annular calcification (MACmod/sev). RESULTS: Among 279 eligible patients (median age = 76.0 years [Q1-Q3: 71.0-81.0 years], EuroSCORE II = 6.2% [Q1-Q3: 3.9%-12.1%]), 222 (79.6%) presented with MACnone/mild and 57 (20.4%) with MACmod/sev. Patients with MACmod/sev had a higher prevalence of extracardiac arteriopathy (P = 0.011) and primary MR (P < 0.001). Although the technical success rate and the extent of MR elimination did not differ, TMVR treatment in MACmod/sev patients was associated with higher rates of postprocedural bleeding complications (P = 0.02) and renal failure (P < 0.001). Functional improvement at the 1- and 2-year follow-up did not differ between groups. At the 2-year follow-up, there were no differences between patients with MACmod/sev and MACnone/mild regarding all-cause mortality (38.5% vs 37.7%; P = 0.76), cardiovascular mortality (21.3% vs 24.9%; P = 0.97), and all-cause mortality or heart failure hospitalization (52.4% vs 46.7%; P = 0.28) CONCLUSIONS: TMVR in patients with MACmod/sev is associated with higher rates of postprocedural complications but similar rates of survival, MR resolution, and functional improvement compared to MACnone/mild. Further studies are necessary to define the role of dedicated TMVR devices in this population. (Choice of Optimal Transcatheter Treatment for Mitral Insufficiency Registry [CHOICE-MI]; NCT04688190).

Valve-in-valve transcatheter mitral valve replacement versus redo-surgical mitral valve replacement for degenerated bioprosthetic mitral valves: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Bioprosthetic mitral valve degeneration is traditionally treated with Redo-SMVR, but the latest ViV-TMVR procedure offers a less invasive and lower risk alternative. A systematic literature search was conducted on Cochrane Central, Scopus, and Medline (PubMed interface) electronic databases from inception till 15th April 2024. We used risk ratios (RR) for dichotomous outcomes and mean differences (MD) for continuous outcomes. We included a total of eleven studies with 11,931 patients in the final quantitative and qualitative analysis. When comparing ViV-TMVR with Redo-SMVR, no significant difference was found for 30-day mortality (P = 0.13) and 1-year mortality (P = 0.91), whereas patients in the ViV-TMVR showed significantly reduced incidence of stroke (P < 0.00001), In-hospital mortality (P), bleeding complications (P = 0.003), AKI (P = 0.0006), arrhythmias (P = 0.01), LVOT obstruction (P = 0.04), and PPI (P < 0.00001). Furthermore, no significant difference was observed between either group when comparing vascular complications (P = 0.97), 2-year mortality (P = 0.60) and 3-year mortality. ViV-TMVR was associated with a significant risk of paravalvular leakage (P = 0.008). Although, ViV-TMVR reduces the risk of complications associated with Redo-SMVR, larger studies are imperative to reach conclusive results.

Left and Right Ventricular Hemodynamic Response After Transcatheter Mitral Valve Replacement.

Background: Transcatheter mitral valve replacement (TMVR) represents a novel treatment option for patients with mitral regurgitation (MR), but little is known about the hemodynamic impact of MR elimination following TMVR. We sought to investigate the hemodynamic impact of TMVR on left ventricular (LV) and right ventricular (RV) function using noninvasive pressure-volume loops. Methods: All consecutive patients undergoing TMVR with dedicated devices between May 2016 and August 2022 were enrolled. The end-diastolic and end-systolic pressure-volume relationships were estimated from 26 patients using single-beat echocardiographic measurements at baseline and after TMVR at discharge. RV function was assessed by RV-pulmonary artery (PA) coupling and RV fractional area change. One-year follow-up was available for 19 patients. The prognostic impact of calculated end-diastolic volume at an end-diastolic pressure of 20 mmHg (VPed20) reduction was assessed by Cox regression. Results: A total of 26 patients (77.0 years [interquartile range 73.9-80.1], N = 17 [65.4%] male) with successful TMVR were included (secondary MR [N = 21, 80.8%]; median LV ejection fraction was 37.0% [interquartile range 30.7-50.7]). At discharge, a decrease in VPed20 (p < 0.001) indicating leftward shift of end-diastolic pressure-volume relationship, and an increase of the end-systolic elastance slope (p = 0.007) were observed after TMVR. No changes were observed for RV-PA coupling (p = 0.19) and RV fractional area change (p = 0.22). At 1-year follow-up, LV contractility (end-systolic elastance) and RV-PA coupling remained stable. Vped20 reduction at discharge was significantly associated with 1-year all-cause mortality or heart failure hospitalization (hazard ratio 0.16, 95% CI 0.04-0.71, p = 0.016). Conclusions: Noninvasive assessment of pressure-volume loops demonstrated early LV reverse remodeling and improved LV contractility, while RV performance was preserved. These results indicate the potential prognostic impact of complete MR elimination after TMVR.

Simultaneous Transcatheter Aortic and Mitral Native Valve Replacement: A Step-by-Step Procedural Approach.

Multivalvular heart disease (MVHD) is present in one-third of patients with valvular heart disease (VHD). Compared to single VHD patients, these patients have a more significant hemodynamic impact and are often left under medical treatment. Most importantly, when undergoing multiple valve interventions, they show worse rates of heart failure and mortality. The guidelines-supported interventions in patients with MVHD in combined aortic regurgitation and mitral stenosis include percutaneous mitral balloon commissurotomy, open mitral commissurotomy, or surgical mitral valve replacement followed by transcatheter or surgical aortic valve replacement, trying to minimize the increased mortality risk of double-valve replacement. Simultaneous transcatheter valve replacement (STVR) for native MVHD is still off-label and not yet considered in clinical guidelines since the evidence of its results is limited to a few cases reported worldwide. However, fully percutaneous transfemoral STVR seems promising for MVHD patients thanks to its minimal invasiveness, the continuous improvement of the transcatheter heart valve devices, the likely shorter length of stay and the fastest recovery. To our knowledge, this is the first case ever reported of fully percutaneous STVR for native MVHD in aortic regurgitation and mitral stenosis. Deep understanding of both pathologies and their interactions, not only from a pathological point of view but from the procedural planning and procedural steps point of view is mandatory. Hereby we present the specific STVR procedural planning considerations, a step-by-step guide on how to perform an aortic and mitral STVR and its critical considerations, as well as the procedural and follow-up results.

Left Ventricular Outflow Tract and Transcatheter Mitral Valve Replacement Obstruction and TMVR: Predictors, Evaluation, and Solutions.

In this issue of Structural Heart, high-impact presentations from Transcatheter Valve Therapies 2023 are reviewed. Dr Jaffar Khan provided updates on the current understanding of left ventricular outflow tract obstruction in the field of transcatheter mitral valve replacement, highlighting known predictors of obstruction, a generally agreed-upon strategy for preprocedure assessment, and a host of management strategies in various stages of development and study.

Emergent Surgical Replacement of a Tendyne Prosthesis for Bioprosthetic Valve Thrombosis.

A 66-year-old woman with a complex medical history underwent transcatheter mitral valve replacement (TMVI) owing to mitral insufficiency. Risk factors and noncompliance led to bioprosthetic valve thrombosis (BPVT) within 3 years. Emergent surgery indicated by an ad hoc heart team successfully managed the situation, showcasing challenges in BPVT management after TMVI.

Structural Degeneration of a 9-Year-Old Tendyne: Treatment by Transfemoral Transseptal SAPIEN in Tendyne.

An 83-year-old woman presented 9 years after Tendyne transcatheter mitral valve replacement with acute severe decompensated heart failure. Transesophageal echocardiography reported severe transvalvular mitral regurgitation caused by degenerated Tendyne leaflets. A transfemoral transseptal valve-in-Tendyne procedure using a 26-mm SAPIEN device resulted in significant mitral regurgitation reduction and symptomatic recovery.

Emerging Transcatheter Therapies for Valvular Heart Disease: Focus on Mitral and Tricuspid Valve Procedures.

The emergence of percutaneous treatment options provides novel therapeutic alternatives for older and feeble patients who are at high risk for any surgical procedure. The purpose of our review was to offer an up-to-date analysis of the rapidly expanding field of percutaneous technologies for mitral, tricuspid, and pulmonary procedures. Edge-to-edge repair is an established treatment for secondary mitral regurgitation (MR), while transcatheter mitral valve replacement is a potential and expanding option for managing both secondary and primary MR. However, additional advancements are necessary to enhance the safety and feasibility of this procedure. Transcatheter tricuspid intervention is an emerging option that was conceived after the success of transcatheter procedures in aortic and mitral valves, and it is currently still in the early stages of advancement. This can be attributed, at least in part, to the previously overlooked effect of tricuspid regurgitation on patient outcomes. The development of edge-to-edge repair represents the forefront of innovations in transcatheter procedures. There is a scarcity of data about tricuspid annuloplasty and replacement, and further study is necessary. Transcatheter mitral, tricuspid, and pulmonary procedures show prospects for the future, while their role in clinical practice has not been definitively established.

Transcatheter Treatment Options for Functional Mitral Regurgitation: Which Device for Which Patients?

Mitral regurgitation is the most common valvular disease in the developed world, with approximately 24.2 million people being affected worldwide and a higher prevalence in older age groups. Surgical correction of degenerative mitral regurgitation is the standard of care and can restore cardiac function and provide a lasting result, especially when the mitral valve can be repaired. Secondary mitral regurgitation, or functional mitral regurgitation (FMR), describes atrial or ventricular factors leading to poor coaptation of an otherwise non-diseased valve. For FMR, traditional surgery has not produced the same level of benefit. Transcatheter mitral repair and replacement techniques that mimic surgical correction are under investigation. Transcatheter edge-to-edge repair is the only approved catheter-based therapy for FMR in the US. Here, the transcatheter treatment options for FMR are reviewed.