TAVR Procedural Volumes and Patient Outcomes: Analysis of Recent Data.

In less than 15 years, transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) has progressed from a procedure of last resort in patients at prohibitively high perioperative risk for major morbidity and mortality from surgical valve replacement to a viable alternative option to surgery in most patients with native (non-bicuspid) aortic valve stenosis. The number of medical centers offering TAVR has rapidly proliferated. There is mounting evidence that there are variations in patient outcomes associated with the yearly number of TAVR cases performed at each respective center. This review outlines the evolution of TAVR indications, common complications, the current literature addressing the association between procedural volumes and patient outcomes in TAVR, and offers a synopsis of risk factor assessment for patients considered for TAVR.

Surgery for infective endocarditis following low-intermediate risk transcatheter aortic valve replacement-a multicentre experience.

OBJECTIVES: With the expansion of transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) into intermediate and low risk, the number of TAVR procedures is bound to rise and along with it the number of cases of infective endocarditis following TAVR (TIE). The aim of this study was to review a multicentre experience of patients undergoing surgical intervention for TIE and to analyse the underlying indications and operative results. METHODS: We retrospectively identified and analysed 69 patients who underwent cardiac surgery due to TIE at 9 cardiac surgical departments across Germany. The primary outcome was operative mortality, 6-month and 1-year survival. RESULTS: Median age was 78 years (72-81) and 48(69.6%) were male. The median time to surgical aortic valve replacement was 14 months (5-24) after TAVR, with 32 patients (46.4%) being diagnosed with early TIE. Cardiac reoperations were performed in 17% of patients and 33% underwent concomitant mitral valve surgery. The main causative organisms were: Enterococcus faecalis (31.9%), coagulase-negative Staphylococcus spp. (26.1%), Methicillin-sensitive Staphylococcus aureus (15.9%) and viridians group streptococci (14.5%). Extracorporeal life support was required in 2 patients (2.9%) for a median duration of 3 days. Postoperative adverse cerebrovascular events were observed in 13 patients (18.9%). Postoperatively, 9 patients (13.0%) required a pacemaker and 33 patients (47.8%) needed temporary renal replacement therapy. Survival to discharge was 88.4% and survival at 6 months and 1 year was found to be 68% and 53%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that TIE can be treated according to the guidelines for prosthetic valve endocarditis, namely with early surgery. Surgery for TIE is associated with acceptable morbidity and mortality rates. Surgery should be discussed liberally as a treatment option in patients with TIE by the 'endocarditis team' in referral centres.

The selection of transcatheter heart valves in transcatheter aortic valve replacement.

Transcatheter heart valve technology has rapidly progressed since initial approval in the United States. There are currently two widely available transcatheter heart valve delivery systems approved in the US; however limited data exist on optimal device selection for various patient populations. This review explores the characteristics of currently approved transcatheter heart valve systems and scenarios where one valve system may be favored over others. We provide a simplified decision tree for selecting the optimal transcatheter valve system for specific patient-centered characteristics.

Absence of electrocardiographic left ventricular hypertrophy is associated with increased mortality after transcatheter aortic valve replacement.

BACKGROUND: Electrocardiographic (ECG) left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) has been associated with increased mortality in patients with asymptomatic aortic stenosis (AS) and hypertension. However, patients with symptomatic AS undergoing transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) have higher percentages of myocardial fibrosis or amyloidosis that have been associated with decreased ECG voltage and worse outcomes. HYPOTHESIS: We tested the hypothesis that baseline ECG LVH is independently associated with increased all-cause mortality after TAVR. METHODS: A total of 231 patients (96 men; mean age 84.7 ± 7.8 years) that underwent TAVR at our institution were included. Cornell voltage, defined as SV3 + RaVL, was used to assess for presence of ECG LVH using gender-specific cut-off values. We used the Kaplan-Meier estimator to derive survival curves. Multivariate Cox regression analysis was used to compare mortality between patients without vs with ECG LVH and adjust for echocardiographic LVH and predictors of mortality in this cohort. RESULTS: Over a follow-up time of 16.3 ± 10.4 months, the absence of ECG LVH was significantly associated with increased mortality (40.4% vs 23.6% at 2-years, log rank P = 0.003). After adjusting for echocardiographic LVH and predictors of mortality in our cohort, the absence of ECG LVH remained a predictor of increased mortality (HR = 1.79, CI 95% 1.02-3.14, P = 0.042). CONCLUSIONS: The absence of ECG LVH was independently associated with increased mortality in patients undergoing TAVR. Baseline ECG may have an important prognostic role in these patients and could lead to further testing to evaluate for myocardial fibrosis or amyloidosis.

Transcatheter aortic valve replacement: a review of current indications and outcomes.

In patients with symptomatic severe aortic stenosis, surgical aortic valve replacement (SAVR) improves survival, quality of life, and functional status compared with medical therapy. Based on the results of the randomized PARTNER Trial, Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement (TAVR) using the Edwards Sapien balloon expandable valve is now available in the United States for patients who are either inoperable due to anatomic concerns or severe medical co-morbidities, or as an alternative in patients considered high risk for SAVR. Fifty-six patients have been treated with TAVR at Rhode Island Hospital from March 2012 through October 2013 with similar outcomes to The PARTNER Trial and several large European registries. Second- generation valves and lower profile delivery systems designed to reduce the incidence of vascular complications, stroke, and perivalvular leak; and extension of TAVR to intermediate risk surgical patients, are under investigation.

Cost-effectiveness analysis of TAVR.

Transcather aortic valve replacement (TAVR) has rapidly gained worldwide acceptance for treating very high-risk patients with symptomatic severe aortic stenosis. Two valve systems are currently in common use worldwide and under trial in the United States. The Edwards SAPIEN valve has completed its PARTNER trial and has been approved for use in nonoperative patients. The Medtronic CoreValve is currently completing its US pivotal trial. Both plan studies of intermediate-risk patients. The use of TAVR in Europe has grown rapidly and is now about 23% of the total aortic valve replacements done in which a tissue valve is chosen (generally patients over 60 to 65 years of age). This technology is used in a patient population that was either not receiving any surgical therapy due to extreme risk or was considered very high risk for conventional surgery. The procedure requires a highly trained TAVR team, advanced imaging, and the devices themselves, which are expensive. Medical device trials are generally designed to establish if the device works as planned. For TAVR in today's world of rising health care costs, the additional question of cost effectiveness is important to address. Fortunately, the PARTNER trial addressed this and the CoreValve trial has built this into the trial design as well. This article examines what is currently known about the cost-effectiveness of TAVR.