Anesthetic management for transcatheter aortic valve replacement: A national anesthesia clinical outcomes registry analysis.

Background: General anesthesia has traditionally been used in transcatheter aortic valve replacement; however, there has been increasing interest and momentum in alternative anesthetic techniques. Aims: To perform a descriptive study of anesthetic management options in transcatheter aortic valve replacements in the United States, comparing trends in use of monitored anesthesia care versus general anesthesia. Settings and Design: Data evaluated from the American Society of Anesthesiologists' (ASA) Anesthesia Quality Institute's National Anesthesia Clinical Outcomes Registry. Materials and Methods: Multivariable logistic regression was used to identify predictors associated with use of monitored anesthesia care compared to general anesthesia. Results: The use of monitored anesthesia care has increased from 1.8% of cases in 2013 to 25.2% in 2017 (p = 0.0001). Patients were more likely ages 80+ (66% vs. 61%; p = 0.0001), male (54% vs. 52%; p = 0.0001), ASA physical status > III (86% vs. 80%; p = 0.0001), cared for in the Northeast (38% vs. 22%; p = 0.0001), and residents in zip codes with higher median income ($63,382 vs. $55,311; p = 0.0001). Multivariable analysis revealed each one-year increase in age, every 50 procedures performed annually at a practice, and being male were associated with 3% (p = 0.0001), 33% (p = 0.012), and 16% (p = 0.026) increased odds of monitored anesthesia care, respectively. Centers in the Northeast were more likely to use monitored anesthesia care (all p < 0.005). Patients who underwent approaches other than percutaneous femoral arterial were less likely to receive monitored anesthesia care (adjusted odds ratios all < 0.51; all p = 0.0001). Conclusion: Anesthetic type for transcatheter aortic valve replacements in the United States varies with age, sex, geography, volume of cases performed at a center, and procedural approach.

The Effect of Initiation of a Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement Program in the Treatment of Severe Aortic Stenosis.

We assessed the effect of a transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) program and Heart Team concept on our approach to severe isolated symptomatic aortic stenosis (AS) with regard to surgical practice, patient selection, perioperative outcomes, 1-year survival, and AVR volume. TAVR program began in August 2011. Patients having isolated surgical AVR between January 2008 and August 2011, when the program began (n = 282, 42 months), were compared with those after the program began until February 2015 (n = 344, surgical AVR and n = 126, TAVR, 42 months). Isolated surgical AVR accounted for 21% of all valve procedures (isolated and concomitant) before and after the TAVR program. However, the volume of all isolated AVR (surgical and transcatheter) increased to 27% of all valve procedures (isolated and concomitant) after the TAVR program implementation. Mean Society Of Thoracic Surgeons (STS)-predicted mortality risk was similar among patients who had surgical AVR pre-TAVR and post-TAVR implementation (2.3% vs 2.1%, P = 0.227), but addition of patients who had TAVR (STS risk = 7.1%) increased STS-predicted risk for all isolated AVR (surgical and transcatheter) procedures (2.3% vs 3.4%, P < 0.001). A similar trend was found for age, including a slight decrease in octogenarians for surgical AVR post-TAVR (18% vs 13%, P = 0.084). Operative mortality for isolated surgical AVR was similar in pre-TAVR and post-TAVR (2.1% vs 1.8%, P = 0.798), as were observed/expected (O/E) ratios (0.91 vs 0.82). For all isolated AVR, O/E ratio was 0.91 pre-TAVR and 0.82 post-TAVR (n = 470), including O/E = 0.79 for patients who had TAVR. No changes were found in proportion of isolated surgical AVR cases or patient risk and outcomes after introduction of TAVR program and Heart Team. However, volume of patients with severe AS treated increased significantly post-TAVR. Our results reflect growing awareness of TAVR availability and accompanying increases in patients referred to our Heart Team for AS treatment.