Initial Experience of a Second-Generation Self-Expanding Transcatheter Aortic Valve: The UK & Ireland Evolut R Implanters' Registry.

OBJECTIVES: The authors present the UK and Irish real-world learning curve experience of the Evolut R transcatheter heart valve. BACKGROUND: The Evolut R is a self-expanding, repositionable, and fully recapturable second-generation transcatheter heart valve with several novel design features to improve outcomes and reduce complications. METHODS: Clinical, procedural, and 30-day outcome data were prospectively collected for the first 264 patients to receive the Evolut R valve in the United Kingdom and Ireland. RESULTS: A total of 264 consecutive Evolut R implantations were performed across 9 centers. The mean age was 81.1 ± 7.8 years, and the mean logistic European System for Cardiac Operative Risk Evaluation score was 19.9 ± 13.7%. Procedural indications included aortic stenosis (72.0%), mixed aortic valve disease (17.4%), and failing aortic valve bioprostheses (10.6%). Conscious sedation was used in 39.8% of patients and transfemoral access in 93.6%. The procedural success rate was 91.3%, and paravalvular leak immediately after implantation was mild or less in 92.3%. Major complications were rare: cardiac tamponade in 0.4%, conversion to sternotomy in 0.8%, annular rupture in 0.0%, coronary occlusion in 0.8%, major vascular in 5.3%, acute kidney injury in 6.1%, new permanent pacemaker implantation in 14.7%, and procedure-related death in 0.0%. At 30-day follow-up, survival was 97.7%, paravalvular leak was mild or less in 92.3%, and the stroke rate was 3.8%. CONCLUSIONS: This registry represents the largest published real-world experience of the Evolut R valve. The procedural success rate was high and safety was excellent, comparable with previous studies of the Evolut R valve and other second-generation devices. The low rate of complications represents an improvement on first-generation devices.

Lotus-in-Evolut R transcatheter aortic valve implantation for severe paravalvular leak.

Significant paravalvular leak (PVL) after transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) is associated with poor outcome. We present the case of an 83-year-old female with severe aortic stenosis who underwent TAVI with an Evolut-R valve (Medtronic, Minneapolis, MN, USA). An aortogram post-procedure showed aortic regurgitation thought to be moderately severe after post-dilatation. She deteriorated 24 h after her procedure and required a further intervention. She was salvaged with a Lotus (Boston Scientific, Marlborough, MA, USA) 'valve in valve' that completely eliminated PVL. .

Severe aortic stenosis, critical coronary artery disease, and transfusion-dependent angiodysplasia - A management conundrum.

The combination of severe aortic stenosis, bleeding due to Heyde's syndrome and critical coronary artery disease presents a management challenge. We report the case of an 86-year-old who underwent percutaneous coronary intervention to the right coronary artery, simultaneous balloon aortic valvuloplasty to treat aortic stenosis and address bleeding from Heyde's syndrome, and subsequent staged transcatheter aortic valve implantation. .

Inequalities in care in patients with acute myocardial infarction.

Coronary heart disease is the single largest cause of death in developed countries. Guidelines exist for the management of acute myocardial infarction (AMI), yet despite these, significant inequalities exist in the care of these patients. The elderly, deprived socioeconomic groups, females and non-caucasians are the patient populations where practice tends to deviate more frequently from the evidence base. Elderly patients often had higher mortality rates after having an AMI compared to younger patients. They also tended to present with symptoms that were not entirely consistent with an AMI, thus partially contributing to the inequalities in care that is seen between younger and older patients. Furthermore the lack of guidelines in the elderly age group presenting with AMI can often make decision making challenging and may account for the discrepancies in care that are prevalent between younger and older patients. Other patients such as those from a lower socioeconomic group, i.e., low income and less than high school education often had poorer health and reduced life expectancy compared to patients from a higher socioeconomic group after an AMI. Lower socioeconomic status was also seen to be contributing to racial and geographical variation is the care in AMI patients. Females with an AMI were treated less aggressively and had poorer outcomes when compared to males. However even when females were treated in the same way they continued to have higher in hospital mortality which suggests that gender may well account for differences in outcomes. The purpose of this review is to identify the inequalities in care for patients who present with an AMI and explore potential reasons for why these occur. Greater attention to the management and a better understanding of the root causes of these inequalities in care may help to reduce morbidity and mortality rates associated with AMI.