Value of Echocardiographic Right Ventricular and Pulmonary Pressure Assessment in Predicting Transcatheter Tricuspid Repair Outcome.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to assess the value of echocardiographic right ventricular (RV) and systolic pulmonary artery pressure (sPAP) assessment in predicting transcatheter tricuspid edge-to-edge valve repair (TTVR) outcome. BACKGROUND: RV dysfunction and pulmonary hypertension are associated with poor prognosis and are systematically sought during tricuspid regurgitation evaluation. The value of echocardiographic assessment in predicting TTVR outcome is unknown. METHODS: Data were taken from the TriValve (Transcatheter Tricuspid Valve Therapies) registry, which includes patients undergoing TTVR at 14 European and North American centers. The primary outcome was 1-year survival free from hospitalization for heart failure, and secondary outcomes were 1-year survival and absence of hospital admission for heart failure at 1 year. RESULTS: Overall, 249 patients underwent TTVR between June 2015 and 2018 (mean tricuspid annular plane systolic excursion [TAPSE] 15.8 ± 15.3 mm, mean sPAP 43.6 ± 16.0 mm Hg). Tricuspid regurgitation grade ≥3+ was found in 96.8% of patients at baseline and 29.4% at final follow-up; 95.6% were in New York Heart Association functional class III or IV initially, compared with 34.3% at follow-up (p < 0.05). Final New York Heart Association functional class did not differ among TAPSE and sPAP quartiles, even when both low TAPSE and high sPAP were present. Rates of 1-year survival and survival free from hospitalization for heart failure were 83.9% and 78.7%, respectively, without significant differences according to baseline echocardiographic RV characteristics (TAPSE, fractional area change, and end-diastolic area) and sPAP (p > 0.05 for all). CONCLUSIONS: TTVR provides clinical improvement, with 1-year survival free from hospital readmission >75% in patients with severe tricuspid regurgitation. Conventional echocardiographic parameters used to assess RV function and sPAP did not predict clinical outcome after TTVR.

Screening for transcatheter mitral valve replacement: a decision tree algorithm.

AIMS: The high frequency of screening failure for anatomical reasons in patients with severe mitral valve regurgitation (MR) is a limiting factor in the screening process for transcatheter mitral valve replacement (TMVR). However, data on optimal patient selection are scarce. The present study aimed to develop a screening algorithm based on TMVR screening data. METHODS AND RESULTS: A total of 195 screenings for six different TMVR devices were performed in 94 high-risk patients with severe MR. We compared baseline echocardiographic and multislice computed tomography (MSCT) parameters between the subgroups of patients accepted (N=33) and rejected for TMVR (N=61). Reasons for screening failure were assessed, and a decision tree algorithm was statistically derived. Reasons for screening failure were small LV dimensions (30.6%), small (7.5%) or large (22.5%) annular size, potential risk of LVOT obstruction (22.0%) or mitral annulus calcification (15.6%). A four-step decision tree algorithm to assess TMVR eligibility was developed resulting in an AUC of 0.80 (95% CI: 0.71, 0.89, p<0.0001). CONCLUSIONS: This study presents the first screening algorithm to assess anatomical eligibility for TMVR in patients with severe MR, based on simple MSCT criteria. Given the high rate of TMVR screening failure, this algorithm may facilitate the identification of potential TMVR candidates.

[Percutaneous approaches for mitral valve interventions--a real alternative technique for standard cardiac surgery?]. / Die perkutane Mitralklappenintervention bei Mitralklappeninsuffizienz--eine Alternative zur konventionellen Herzchirurgie?

Standard therapy of advanced mitral valve regurgitation currently consists of mitral valve reconstruction through heart surgery including heart-lung machine employment. Typically, a ring is implanted and a leaflet reduced, if necessary, to approximate the posterior and anterior mitral valve leaflets to each other. Because of high comorbidity among this patient population, new and less burdening catheter-based techniques have been developed. Clinical etiology of mitral valve regurgitation is divided into two categories: "structural" versus "functional". The MONARC system of the Edwards Lifesciences company consists of three components--distal stent, bridge with bioabsorbing coating, proximal stent--and is implanted into the coronary sinus. The underlying principle is an indirect annuloplasty of the mitral valve annulus resulting from resorption of the bridge coating and leading to a reduction and indirect tightening of the mitral valve annulus. The EVOLUTION I (EV I) study in patients suffering from functional mitral regurgitation to a degree between 2+ and 4+ revealed--12 months after the MONARC implantation--a mitral valve regurgitation reduction from 2.48 to 1.78. The EV I study found interaction of the foreshortening bridge with the coronary arteries in some patients. This problem is most widely excluded by previous computed tomographic or angiographic examinations in the ongoing follow-up study EV II. Direct annuloplasty is made possible in case of functional mitral regurgitation by using the Mitralign Percutaneous Annuloplasty System (MPAS) of the Mitralign company. In doing so, an improved coadaptation of the mitral valve leaflet is achieved by inserting three sutures into the posterior mitral valve annulus and subsequent plicating.The MitraClip of the Evalve company uses the principle of the edge-to-edge technique. In doing so, the posterior and anterior leaflets are joined by implanting a clip, resulting in a reduction of mitral regurgitation with two diastolic orifices. In contrast to strukthe other two procedures, the MitraClip can be used for both functional and structural mitral valve regurgitation. The EVEREST I study and the EVEREST II study, as far as it has already been published, show that this procedure is secure and its results are very positive. The previous results of all three procedures show that catheter-based techniques for treating high-risk patients suffering from mitral valve regurgitation arrive at positive results in part, so that possibly a real alternative to conventional heart surgery will be available in the future.