Aortic Stenosis Management in Patients With Acute Hip Fracture.

The treatment of severe aortic stenosis (SAS) has evolved rapidly with the advent of minimally invasive structural heart interventions. Transcatheter aortic valve replacement has allowed patients to undergo definitive SAS treatment achieving faster recovery rates compared to valve surgery. Not infrequently, patients are admitted/diagnosed with SAS after a fall associated with a hip fracture (HFx). While urgent orthopedic surgery is key to reduce disability and mortality, untreated SAS increases the perioperative risk and precludes physical recovery. There is no consensus on what the best strategy is either hip correction under hemodynamic monitoring followed by valve replacement or preoperative balloon aortic valvuloplasty to allow HFx surgery followed by valve replacement. However, preoperative minimalist transcatheter aortic valve replacement may represent an attractive strategy for selected patients. We provide a management pathway that emphasizes an early multidisciplinary approach to optimize time for hip surgery to improve orthopedic and cardiovascular outcomes in patients presenting with HFx-SAS.

Contemporary experience of percutaneous management of complex aortic and ventricular pseudoaneurysms associated to perivalvular leak: A case series and review of literature.

BACKGROUND: Percutaneous closure of aortic and ventricular pseudoaneurysms (PSA) has only been reported on a case report and series basis. In previous case reports, percutaneous closure has been performed successfully in patients of prohibitive surgical risk. This case series aims to show feasibility of percutaneous closure of aortic and ventricular pseudoaneurysm secondary to perivalvular leak (PVL) in a small patient population and the utility of multimodality imaging as an integral tool in procedural planning. This is the largest complex case series to date describing the feasibility and success rate of complex PSA closure, with a follow-up period of up to 4 years. MATERIAL AND METHODS: We performed institutional review and systemic literature review to identify all paravalvular leak cases with associated pseudoaneurysm formation for which a closure procedure was performed. Ten patients were identified. Pooled analysis for cases from institutional review (n = 10) and systemic literature review (n = 39) was performed. The success rate was 100 %. At 30-days, the mortality was 0 %. CONCLUSION: In paravalvular leak patients with subsequent pseudoaneurysm formation, exhaustive imaging evaluation is required for closure. However, it can be achievable with favorable rates of success.

3D print and multi-modality imaging guided transcatheter closure of multiple left ventricular pseudoaneurysms.

Left ventricular pseudoaneurysm (PSA) after surgical aortic valve replacement (AVR) is a known but uncommon complication. It is associated with risks such as thromboembolism and life-threatening rupture. Surgical repair has traditionally been utilized in low-risk patients but transcatheter closure has become a promising therapeutic option. This case report describes the utility of multimodality imaging in pre-, intra-, and post-procedural evaluation of transcatheter PSA closure and is among the first to demonstrate the utility of 3D print model.

Trans-caval aspiration artherectomy/thrombectomy of large mobile plaques and thrombi in aortic arch and descending aorta.

Aspiration thrombectomy with the AngioVac is approved for percutaneous removal of thrombus in the venous system. While not approved for aspiration of thrombus or other mass in the left heart or arterial system, it has been used in that setting. Patients with left heart or arterial mass are often deemed unfavorable for surgery and treated conservatively. This may not be the best option for all patients, as some may have lesions that represent a short-term increased risk of complications, for which intervention and aspiration could be considered reasonable. Unfortunately, femoral arteries sizes often cannot accommodate the Angiovac current aspiration cannula dimensions. Here, we demonstrated trans-caval approach for aspiration thrombectomy of extensive aortic mobile plaque and thrombus.

Pacemaker following transcatheter aortic valve replacement and tricuspid regurgitation: A single-center experience.

BACKGROUND: As transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) procedures increase, more data is available on the development of conduction abnormalities requiring permanent pacemaker (PPM) implantation post-TAVR. Mechanistically, new pacemaker implantation and incidence of associated tricuspid regurgitation (TR) post-TAVR is not well understood. Studies have evaluated the predictability of patient anatomy towards risk for needing permanent pacemaker (PPM) post-TAVR; however, little has been reported on new PPM and TR in patients post-TAVR. METHODS: This retrospective study identified patients at our health system who underwent PPM following TAVR from January 2014 to June 2018. Data from both TAVR and PPM procedures as well as patient demographics were collected. Echocardiographic data before TAVR, between TAVR and PPM placement, and the most recent echocardiogram at the time of chart review were analyzed. RESULTS: Of 796 patients who underwent TAVR between January 2014 and June 2018, 89 patients (11%) subsequently required PPM. Out of the 89 patients who required PPM implantation, 82 patients had pre-TAVR and 2-year post-TAVR echocardiographic imaging data. At baseline, 22% (18/82) of patients had at least moderate TR. At 2-year post-TAVR echocardiographic imaging follow-up; 27% (22/82) of patients had at least moderate TR. Subgroup analysis was performed according to the TAVR valve size implanted. In patients who received a TAVR device < 29 mm in diameter in size, 25% (11/44) had worsening TR. In patients who received a TAVR device ≥ 29 mm in diameter, 37% (14/38) had worsening TR. CONCLUSION: We have demonstrated a patient population that may be predisposed to developing worsening TR and right heart function after TAVR and Pacemaker implantation.

Sex-Based Differences in Outcomes With Percutaneous Transcatheter Repair of Mitral Regurgitation With the MitraClip System: Transcatheter Valve Therapy Registry From 2011 to 2017.

BACKGROUND: Women have a higher rate of adverse events after mitral valve surgery. We sought to evaluate whether outcomes after transcatheter edge-to-edge repair intervention by sex have similar trends to mitral valve surgery. METHODS: The primary outcome was 1-year major adverse events defined as a composite of all-cause mortality, stroke, and any bleeding in the overall study cohort. Patients who underwent transcatheter edge-to-edge repair for mitral regurgitation with the MitraClip system in the Society of Thoracic Surgery/American College of Cardiology Transcatheter Valve Therapy registry were evaluated. Linked administrative claims from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services were used to evaluate 1-year clinical outcomes. Associations between sex and outcomes were evaluated using a multivariable logistic regression model for in-hospital outcomes and Cox model for 1-year outcomes. RESULTS: From November 2013 to March 2017, 5295 patients, 47.6% (n=2523) of whom were female, underwent transcatheter edge-to-edge repair. Females were less likely to have >1 clip implanted (P<0.001) and had a lower adjusted odds ratio of device success (adjusted odds ratio, 0.78 [95% CI, 0.67-0.90]), driven by lower odds of residual mitral gradient <5 mm Hg (adjusted odds ratio, 0.54 [CI, 0.46-0.63]) when compared with males. At 1-year follow-up, the primary outcome did not differ by sex. Female sex was associated with lower adjusted 1-year risk of all-cause mortality (adjusted hazard ratio, 0.80 [CI, 0.68-0.94]), but the adjusted 1-year risk of stroke and any bleeding did not differ by sex. CONCLUSIONS: No difference in composite outcome of all-cause mortality, stroke, and any bleeding was observed between females and males. Adjusted 1-year all-cause mortality was lower in females compared with males.

Machine-Learning-Based In-Hospital Mortality Prediction for Transcatheter Mitral Valve Repair in the United States.

BACKGROUND: Transcatheter mitral valve repair (TMVR) utilization has increased significantly in the United States over the last years. Yet, a risk-prediction tool for adverse events has not been developed. We aimed to generate a machine-learning-based algorithm to predict in-hospital mortality after TMVR. METHODS: Patients who underwent TMVR from 2012 through 2015 were identified using the National Inpatient Sample database. The study population was randomly divided into a training set (n = 636) and a testing set (n = 213). Prediction models for in-hospital mortality were obtained using five supervised machine-learning classifiers. RESULTS: A total of 849 TMVRs were analyzed in our study. The overall in-hospital mortality was 3.1%. A naïve Bayes (NB) model had the best discrimination for fifteen variables, with an area under the receiver-operating curve (AUC) of 0.83 (95% CI, 0.80-0.87), compared to 0.77 for logistic regression (95% CI, 0.58-0.95), 0.73 for an artificial neural network (95% CI, 0.55-0.91), and 0.67 for both a random forest and a support-vector machine (95% CI, 0.47-0.87). History of coronary artery disease, of chronic kidney disease, and smoking were the three most significant predictors of in-hospital mortality. CONCLUSIONS: We developed a robust machine-learning-derived model to predict in-hospital mortality in patients undergoing TMVR. This model is promising for decision-making and deserves further clinical validation.

Impact of Prior Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting in Patients ≥75 Years Old Presenting With Acute Myocardial Infarction (From the National Readmission Database).

Patients ≥75 years old presenting with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) have complex coronary anatomy in part due to prior coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG), percutaneous coronary interventions (PCI), calcific and valvular disease. Using the National Readmission Database from January 2016 to November 2017, we identified hospital admissions for acute myocardial infarction in patients ≥75 years old and divided them based on a history of CABG. We evaluated in-hospital outcomes, 30-day mortality, 30-day readmission and predictors of PCI in cohorts. Out of a total of 296,062 patients ≥75 years old presenting with an AMI, 42,147 (14%) had history of previous CABG. Most presented with a non-ST segment elevation myocardial infarction, and those with previous CABG had higher burden of co-morbidities and were more commonly man. The in-hospital mortality was significantly lower in those with previous CABG (6.7% vs 8.8%, adjusted odds ratio, 0.88, 95% confidence interval, 0.82 to 0.94). Medical therapy was more common in those with previous CABG and 30-day readmission rates were seen more frequently in those with prior CABG. Predictors of not undergoing PCI included previous PCI, female, older ager groups, heart failure, dementia, malignancy, and higher number of co-morbidities. In conclusion, in patients ≥75 years old with AMI the presence of prior CABG was associated with lower odds of in-hospital and 30-day mortality, as well as lower complications rates, and a decreased use of invasive strategies (PCI, CABG, and MCS). However, 30-day MACE readmission was higher in those with previous CABG.

Regional Variation in Procedural and Clinical Outcomes Among Patients With ST Elevation Myocardial Infarction With Cardiogenic Shock.

There is limited data on regional differences in patient characteristics, practice patterns, and clinical outcomes in patients with ST elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) with cardiogenic shock (CS) in the United States (US). We aimed to identify variations in treatment methods and clinical outcomes in patients with STEMI CS between the 4 US regions. Using the National Inpatient Sample database, we identified adult patients admitted with STEMI associated with CS between 2006 and 2015 using ICD-9-DM codes. Based on the US regions (Northeast, Midwest, South, and West), we divided patients in 4 cohorts and compared baseline patient characteristics, clinical outcomes and procedural outcomes. A total of 186,316 patients with STEMI CS were included; 32,303 (17.3%) were hospitalized in the Northeast, 43,634 (23.4%) in the Midwest, 70,036 (37.8%) in the South, and 40,043 (21.5%) in the West. Although nonstatistically significant, the in-hospital mortality was higher in Northeast region (37.7%), followed by the South (36.6%), West (35.7%), and Midwest (35.2%). Rates of percutaneous coronary intervention were higher in the Midwest (68.5%) and lower in the Northeast (56%). The use of percutaneous ventricular assist device and ECMO was higher in the Northeast (3.3% and 2.2%) and lower in the West (2.1% and 0.4%). The median length of stay was similar among all 4 cohorts (6 days) but median hospital costs were higher in the West ($36, 614) and lower in the South ($28,795). In conclusion, there are significant geographic variations in practice patterns, healthcare cost, and in-hospital outcomes in patients with STEMI complicated by CS between 4 US regions.

Increased Risk of Perioperative Ischemic Stroke in Patients Who Undergo Noncardiac Surgery with Preexisting Atrial Septal Defect or Patent Foramen Ovale.

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate whether a preoperative diagnosis of atrial septal defect (ASD) or patent foramen ovale (PFO) is associated with perioperative stroke in noncardiac surgery and their outcomes. DESIGN: Retrospective cohort analysis. SETTING: United States hospitals. PARTICIPANTS: Adults patients (≥18 years old) who underwent major noncardiac surgery from 2010 to 2015 were identified using the Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project's National Readmission Database. INTERVENTIONS: Preoperative diagnosis of ASD or patent foramen ovale. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Among the 19,659,161 hospitalizations for major noncardiac surgery analyzed, 12,248 (0.06%) had a preoperative diagnosis of ASD/PFO. Perioperative ischemic stroke occurred in 723 (5.9%) of patients with ASD/PFO and 373,291 (0.02%) of those without ASD/PFO (adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 16.7; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 13.9-20.0). Amongst the different types of noncardiac surgeries, obstetric, endocrine, and skin and burn surgery were associated with higher risk of stroke in patients with pre-existing ASD/PFO. Moreover, patients with ASD/PFO also had an increased in-hospital mortality (aOR, 4.6, 95% CI: 3.6-6.0), 30-day readmission (aOR, 1.2, 95% CI: 1.04-1.38), and 30-day stroke (aOR, 7.2, 95% CI: 3.1-16.6). After adjusting for atrial fibrillation, ischemic stroke remained significantly high in the ASD/PFO group (aOR: 23.7, 95%CI 19.4-28.9), as well as in-hospital mortality (aOR: 5.6, 95% CI 4.1-7.7), 30-day readmission (aOR: 1.19, 95%CI 1.0-1.4), and 30-day stroke (aOR: 9.3, 95% CI 3.7-23.6). CONCLUSIONS: Among adult patients undergoing major noncardiac surgery, pre-existing ASD/PFO is associated with increased risk of perioperative ischemic stroke, in-hospital mortality, 30-day stroke, and 30-day readmission after surgery.

Percutaneous Mitral Valve Repair Vs. Stand-Alone Medical Therapy in Patients with Functional Mitral Regurgitation and Heart Failure.

BACKGROUND: Functional mitral regurgitation (FMR) is a common finding among patients with heart failure (HF) and it is related to adverse events. Outcomes in patients undergoing transcatheter mitral valve repair (TMVR) are still a matter of debate. We performed a meta-analysis to assess mid- and long-term outcomes of patients with FMR treated with MitraClip® compared to medical management. METHODS: We conducted an electronic database search of all published data PubMed Central, Embase, the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, ClinicalTrials.gov, and Google Scholar databases. The primary end-point was all-cause mortality. The secondary end-points were hospitalizations for HF, need for heart transplantation or left ventricular assist device, unplanned mitral valve surgery, myocardial infarction and stroke. RESULTS: Five studies (n = 1513 patients) were included in the analysis. The summary estimate including all the available studies showed a statistically significant reduction in all-cause mortality favoring MitraClip® (HR 0.56, CI 95% [0.38-0.84]) and HF hospitalizations (HR 0.65; CI 95% [0.46-0.92]). A significant reduction in the indication for advanced HF therapies (OR 0.48; CI 95% [0.25-0.90]) or the need for unplanned mitral valve surgery (OR 0.20; CI 95% [0.07-0.57]) was also found in the group of patients that underwent TMVR. No differences in the incidence of myocardial infarction or stroke were found between both groups of treatment. No publication bias was detected. CONCLUSION: TMVR with MitraClip® system was related to a significant reduction in all-cause mortality, hospitalizations for HF and the need for HF transplant, left ventricular assist device or unplanned surgery beyond 1-year follow up.

In-hospital outcomes of transcatheter versus surgical aortic valve replacement in non-teaching hospitals.

OBJECTIVES: To assess the in-hospital outcomes of transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) vs. surgical aortic valve replacement (SAVR) in non-teaching hospitals. BACKGROUND: TAVR has become widely available in the United States. However, the comparative outcomes of TAVR vs. SAVR in non-teaching hospitals are largely under explored. METHODS: We queried the Nationwide Inpatient Sample database from 2011 to September 2015 to identify those who were 50 years or above and underwent either trans-arterial TAVR or SAVR at non-teaching hospital. In-hospital clinical outcomes were compared with odds ratio (OR) in propensity-matched cohorts. RESULTS: We identified un-weighted 957 and 7,465 SAVR admissions. In propensity-matched model, 596 admissions in each arm were included for final analysis. In-patient mortality (3.9 vs. 2.5%, OR 1.54, P = 0.34), acute kidney injury requiring dialysis (2.2 vs. 2.7%, OR 0.80, P = 0.57), stroke (2.0 vs. 3.2%, OR 0.61, P = 0.20), and pacemaker placement (8.9 vs. 6.4%, OR 1.47, P = 0.09) was similar between TAVR and SAVR. Sub-group analysis showed that female and those with prior coronary artery bypass surgery had higher risk of in-patient morality in TAVR admission. Cost was higher (59,103 vs. 53,411 dollars, P = 0.006) but length of stay was shorter in TAVR (6.9 vs. 10.2 days, P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: TAVR conferred similar in-hospital mortality and major peri-procedural complications compared with SAVR in non-teaching hospitals. For those with limited access to teaching hospitals, non-teaching hospitals appear to be a reasonable option for candidates of aortic valve replacement for severe aortic stenosis.

Transcatheter Versus Surgical Aortic Valve Replacement in Patients With Prior Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting: Trends in Utilization and Propensity-Matched Analysis of In-Hospital Outcomes.

BACKGROUND: A significant proportion of patients requiring aortic valve replacement (AVR) have undergone prior coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG). Reoperative heart surgery is associated with increased risk. Data on relative utilization and comparative outcomes of transcatheter (TAVR) versus surgical AVR (SAVR) in patients with prior CABG are limited. METHODS AND RESULTS: We queried the 2012 to 2014 National Inpatient Sample databases to identify isolated AVR hospitalizations in adults with prior CABG. In-hospital outcomes of TAVR versus SAVR were compared using propensity-matched analysis. Of 147 395 AVRs, 15 055 (10.2%) were in patients with prior CABG. The number of TAVRs in patients with prior CABG increased from 1615 in 2012 to 4400 in 2014, whereas the number of SAVRs decreased from 2285 to 1895 (Ptrend<0.001). There were 3880 records in each group in the matched cohort. Compared with SAVR, TAVR was associated with similar in-hospital mortality (2.3% versus 2.4%; P=0.71) but lower incidence of myocardial infarction (1.5% versus 3.4%; P<0.001), stroke (1.4% versus 2.7%; P<0.001), bleeding complications (10.6% versus 24.6%; P<0.001), and acute kidney injury (16.2% versus 19.3%; P<0.001). Requirement for prior permanent pacemaker was higher in the TAVR cohort, whereas the incidence of vascular complications and acute kidney injury requiring dialysis was similar in the 2 groups. Average length of stay was shorter in patients undergoing TAVR. CONCLUSIONS: TAVR is being increasingly used as the preferred modality of AVR in patients with prior CABG. Compared with SAVR, TAVR is associated with similar in-hospital mortality but lower rates of in-hospital complications in this important subset of patients.

Comparison of local versus general anesthesia in patients undergoing transcatheter aortic valve replacement: A meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) is typically performed under general anesthesia (GA). However, there is increasing data supporting the safety of performing TAVR under local anesthesia/conscious sedation (LA). We performed a meta-analysis to gain better understanding of the safety and efficacy of LA versus GA in patients with severe aortic stenosis undergoing TAVR. METHODS AND RESULTS: We comprehensively searched EMBASE, PubMed, and Web of Science. Effect sizes were summarized using risk ratios (RRs) difference of the mean (DM), and 95% CIs (confidence intervals) for dichotomous and continuous variables respectively. Twenty-six studies and 10,572 patients were included in the meta-analysis. The use of LA for TAVR was associated with lower overall 30-day mortality (RR, 0.73; 95% CI, 0.57-0.93; P = 0.01), use of inotropic/vasopressor drugs (RR, 0.45; 95% CI, 0.28-0.72; P < 0.001), hospital length of stay (LOS) (DM, -2.09; 95% CI, -3.02 to -1.16; P < 0.001), intensive care unit LOS (DM, -0.18; 95% CI, -0.31 to -0.04; P = 0.01), procedure time (DM, -25.02; 95% CI, -32.70 to -17.35; P < 0.001); and fluoroscopy time (DM, -1.63; 95% CI, -3.02 to -0.24; P = 0.02). No differences were observed between LA and GA for stroke, cardiovascular mortality, myocardial infarction, permanent pacemaker implantation, acute kidney injury, paravalvular leak, vascular complications, major bleeding, procedural success, conduction abnormalities, and annular rupture. CONCLUSION: Our meta-analysis suggests that use of LA for TAVR is associated with a lower 30-day mortality, shorter procedure time, fluoroscopy time, ICU LOS, hospital length of stay, and reduced need for inotropic support.

Treatment options for the closure of secundum atrial septal defects: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Secundum atrial septal defects (ASDs) are treated by surgical closure (SC) or transcatheter device closure (TCC). Due to a scarcity of data directly comparing these approaches, it remains unclear which is superior. This meta-analysis compares the clinical outcomes of the two treatment options. METHODS: A literature search was performed in MEDLINE, Embase, PubMed, Google Search, and Cochrane databases for studies directly comparing SC and TCC of ASDs. Outcomes studied were major and minor acute complications, all-cause mortality, residual shunt, reinterventions, and length of stay (LOS). Relative risk (RR), difference in mean (DM) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were calculated using the Mantel-Haenszel method with a fixed effect model. In cases of heterogeneity (defined as I2>25%), random effect models were used. Sensitivity and meta-regression analyses were performed for each outcome. RESULTS: Of the 1742 manuscripts screened, 26 observational studies fulfilled the inclusion criteria (total n=14,559 patients). TCC was superior to SC for the following outcomes: all-cause mortality (RR, 0.66; 95% CI 0.64-0.99), total complications (RR, 0.48; 95% CI 0.35-0.65), major complications (RR, 0.57; 95% CI 0.40-0.81), minor complications (RR, 0.35; 95% CI 0.23-0.53), and LOS (DM, -2.92; 95% CI -3.25 to (-2.58)). Residual shunts were more common with TCC (RR, 3.35; 95% CI 1.72-6.51). No difference was observed regarding the need of reintervention (RR, 1.45; 95% CI 0.60-3.51). Meta-regression analysis showed that older age increases the risk of death and complications in patients undergoing TCC. CONCLUSIONS: Though both approaches are effective, TCC is associated with lower mortality, complications, and LOS while SC has a lower rate of residual shunting.