Procedural, pregnancy, and short-term outcomes after fetal aortic valvuloplasty.

OBJECTIVES: We aimed to evaluate the effect of technical aspects of fetal aortic valvuloplasty (FAV) on procedural risks and pregnancy outcomes. BACKGROUND: FAV is performed in cases of severe mid-gestation aortic stenosis with the goal of preventing hypoplastic left heart syndrome (HLHS). METHODS: The International Fetal Cardiac Intervention Registry was queried for fetuses who underwent FAV from 2002 to 2018, excluding one high-volume center. RESULTS: The 108 fetuses had an attempted cardiac puncture (mean gestational age [GA] 26.1 ± 3.3 weeks). 83.3% of attempted interventions were technically successful (increased forward flow/new aortic insufficiency). The interventional cannula was larger than 19 g in 70.4%. More than one cardiac puncture was performed in 25.0%. Intraprocedural complications occurred in 48.1%, including bradycardia (34.1%), pericardial (22.2%) or pleural effusion (2.7%) requiring drainage, and balloon rupture (5.6%). Death within 48 hr occurred in 16.7% of fetuses. Of the 81 patients born alive, 59 were discharged home, 34 of whom had biventricular circulation. More than one cardiac puncture was associated with higher complication rates (p < .001). Larger cannula size was associated with higher pericardial effusion rates (p = .044). On multivariate analysis, technical success (odds ratio [OR] = 10.9, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 2.2-53.5, p = .003) and later GA at intervention (OR = 1.5, 95% CI = 1.2-1.9, p = .002) were associated with increased odds of live birth. CONCLUSIONS: FAV is an often successful but high-risk procedure. Multiple cardiac punctures are associated with increased complication and fetal mortality rates. Later GA at intervention and technical success were independently associated with increased odds of live birth. However, performing the procedure later in gestation may miss the window to prevent progression to HLHS.

Fetal cardiac intervention-Perspectives from a single center.

Fetal cardiac intervention was first proposed in the early 1990s to impact cardiac development and survival of fetuses with fetal aortic stenosis and evolving hypoplastic left heart syndrome (HLHS). Although initial attempts of fetal aortic valvuloplasty were unsuccessful and carried a high rate of morbidity and mortality, our collaborative group at the Brigham and Women's Hospital and Boston Children's Hospital have reinvigorated the procedure using improvements in imaging, anesthesia, balloon catheters, and surgical techniques. Two decades of experience have now allowed us to document the safety of in utero intervention and to achieve a better understanding of the impact of midgestation intervention on developing HLHS. Research into underlying genetics, predictive biomarkers, and ways to incorporate stem cell technology will hopefully allow us to further refine the procedure to most benefit children with this historically lethal disease.

Fetal hemodynamic response to aortic valvuloplasty and postnatal outcome: a European multicenter study.

OBJECTIVE: Fetal aortic stenosis may progress to hypoplastic left heart syndrome. Fetal valvuloplasty (FV) has been proposed to improve left heart hemodynamics and maintain biventricular (BV) circulation. The aim of this study was to assess FV efficacy by comparing survival and postnatal circulation between fetuses that underwent FV and those that did not. METHODS: This was a retrospective multicenter study of fetuses with aortic stenosis that underwent FV between 2005 and 2012, compared with contemporaneously enrolled natural history (NH) cases sharing similar characteristics at presentation but not undergoing FV. Main outcome measures were overall survival, BV-circulation survival and survival after birth. Secondary outcomes were hemodynamic change and left heart growth. A propensity score model was created including 54/67 FV and 60/147 NH fetuses. Analyses were performed using logistic, Cox or linear regression models with inverse probability of treatment weighting (IPTW) restricted to fetuses with a propensity score of 0.14-0.9, to create a final cohort for analysis of 42 FV and 29 NH cases. RESULTS: FV was technically successful in 59/67 fetuses at a median age of 26 (21-34) weeks. There were 7/72 (10%) procedure-related losses, and 22/53 (42%) FV babies were delivered at < 37 weeks. IPTW demonstrated improved survival of liveborn infants following FV (hazard ratio, 0.38; 95% CI, 0.23-0.64; P = 0.0001), after adjusting for circulation and postnatal surgical center. Similar proportions had BV circulation (36% for the FV cohort and 38% for the NH cohort) and survival was similar between final circulations. Successful FV cases showed improved hemodynamic response and less deterioration of left heart growth compared with NH cases (P ≤ 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: We report improvements in fetal hemodynamics and preservation of left heart growth following successful FV compared with NH. While the proportion of those achieving a BV circulation outcome was similar in both cohorts, FV survivors showed improved survival independent of final circulation to 10 years' follow-up. However, FV is associated with a 10% procedure-related loss and increased prematurity compared with the NH cohort, and therefore the risk-to-benefit ratio remains uncertain. We recommend a carefully designed trial incorporating appropriate and integrated fetal and postnatal management strategies to account for center-specific practices, so that the benefits achieved by fetal therapy vs surgical strategy can be demonstrated clearly. Copyright © 2017 ISUOG. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Improved technical success, postnatal outcome and refined predictors of outcome for fetal aortic valvuloplasty.

OBJECTIVES: Fetal aortic valvuloplasty (FAV) may prevent progression of mid-gestation aortic stenosis to hypoplastic left heart syndrome (HLHS). The aim of this study was to evaluate whether technical success and biventricular (Biv) outcome after FAV have changed from an earlier (2000-2008) to a more recent (2009-2015) era and identify pre-FAV predictors of Biv outcome. METHODS: We evaluated procedural and postnatal outcomes in 123 fetuses that underwent FAV for evolving HLHS at Boston Children's Hospital between 2000 and 2015. The primary outcome measure was circulation type (Biv vs single ventricle) at the time of neonatal hospital discharge. Classification and regression tree (CART) analysis was performed to construct a stratification algorithm to predict Biv circulation based on pre-FAV fetal variables. RESULTS: The FAV procedure was technically successful in 101/123 (82%) fetuses, with a higher technical success rate in the more recent era than in the earlier one (49/52 (94%) vs 52/71 (73%); P = 0.003). In liveborn patients, the incidence of Biv outcome was higher in the recent than in the earlier era, both in the entire liveborn cohort (29/49 (59%) vs 16/62 (26%); P = 0.001) and in those in whom the procedure was technically successful (27/46 (59%) vs 15/47 (32%); P = 0.007). Independent predictors of Biv outcome were higher left ventricular (LV) pressure, larger ascending aorta, better LV diastolic function and higher LV long-axis Z-score. On CART analysis, fetuses with LV pressure > 47 mmHg and ascending aorta Z-score ≥ 0.57 had a 92% probability of Biv outcome (n = 24). Those with a lower LV pressure, or mitral dimension Z-score < 0.1 and mitral valve inflow time Z-score < -2 (n = 34) were unlikely to have Biv (probability of 9%). The remainder of the patients had an intermediate (∼40-60%) likelihood of Biv circulation. CONCLUSIONS: The proportion of patients achieving Biv outcome after FAV has increased, probably owing to an improved technical success rate and modified selection criteria. Fetal factors, including LV pressure, size of the ascending aorta and diastolic function, are associated with likelihood of Biv circulation after FAV. Copyright © 2017 ISUOG. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Fetal aortic valvuloplasty for evolving hypoplastic left heart syndrome: postnatal outcomes of the first 100 patients.

BACKGROUND: Fetal aortic valvuloplasty can be performed for severe midgestation aortic stenosis in an attempt to prevent progression to hypoplastic left heart syndrome (HLHS). A subset of patients has achieved a biventricular (BV) circulation after fetal aortic valvuloplasty. The postnatal outcomes and survival of the BV patients, in comparison with those managed as HLHS, have not been reported. METHODS AND RESULTS: We included 100 patients who underwent fetal aortic valvuloplasty for severe midgestation aortic stenosis with evolving HLHS from March 2000 to January 2013. Patients were categorized based on postnatal management as BV or HLHS. Clinical records were reviewed. Eighty-eight fetuses were live-born, and 38 had a BV circulation (31 from birth, 7 converted after initial univentricular palliation). Left-sided structures, namely aortic and mitral valve sizes and left ventricular volume, were significantly larger in the BV group at the time of birth (P<0.01). After a median follow-up of 5.4 years, freedom from cardiac death among all BV patients was 96±4% at 5 years and 84±12% at 10 years, which was better than HLHS patients (log-rank P=0.04). There was no cardiac mortality in patients with a BV circulation from birth. All but 1 of the BV patients required postnatal intervention; 42% underwent aortic or mitral valve replacement. On the most recent echocardiogram, the median left ventricular end-diastolic volume z score was +1.7 (range, -1.3 to +8.2), and 80% had normal ejection fraction. CONCLUSIONS: Short- and intermediate-term survival among patients who underwent fetal aortic valvuloplasty and achieved a BV circulation postnatally is encouraging. However, morbidity still exists, and ongoing assessment is warranted.

Fetal intervention for critical aortic stenosis: advances, research and postnatal follow-up.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Fetal aortic valvuloplasty is intended to alter the natural history of aortic stenosis evolving to hypoplastic left heart syndrome. The most recently reported data and advances on this procedure were reviewed. RECENT FINDINGS: The highlights of the latest experience are the advances in further understanding of the prenatal and postnatal natural history of this disease, and the way in which fetal aortic valvuloplasty impacts on it, the identification of new predictors of biventricular outcome, and the report of postnatal survival of intervened patients. Recently reported short-term and middle-term results are encouraging. Experimental research on procedural aspects is ongoing, with no definite results. Multicenter studies are also ongoing. SUMMARY: In recent years, there have been advances in the understanding of the prenatal and postnatal process of aortic stenosis evolving to hypoplastic left heart syndrome and the effects of fetal aortic valvuloplasty, as well as the need of adequate postnatal therapeutic strategies for these patients. Procedural aspects are being studied with animal models, but still need far more experience before human application. Long-term results are still to be discovered, and multicenter studies may provide a new perspective. Continuing research is mandatory so that ultimately fetal heart intervention finds its place among the therapeutic resources for congenital heart disease.

Fetal aortic valve stenosis: a critique of case selection criteria for fetal intervention.

OBJECTIVE: Selection of fetuses with aortic stenosis (AS) for prenatal intervention has been influenced by published scoring systems. This study aimed to test these scoring systems by retrospective application to consecutive cases of fetal AS. METHODS: Retrospective analysis of the echocardiographic findings of 31 consecutive fetuses with AS evaluated at a tertiary fetal cardiology centre. Published 'eHLHS' scores and threshold scores were applied to the group and compared to postnatal management, in terms of biventricular repair versus single ventricle palliation. RESULTS: Thirty-one fetuses were identified with AS, and eHLHS was identified in 17 at the initial echocardiogram. No fetus with a full eHLHS score (3/3 or 4/4) achieved a biventricular repair. Three fetuses had a favourable threshold score (≥4), one of whom had a successful biventricular outcome. Seven fetuses had an unfavourable threshold score (<4) and underwent a univentricular pathway. CONCLUSION: The eHLHS score is a reliable predictor for the progression to HLHS at term. The score identifies those who would achieve a biventricular repair postnatally without prenatal intervention. A minority of fetuses with favourable threshold scores may achieve a biventricular repair postnatally without prenatal intervention, but eHLHS and an unfavourable threshold score (<4) predict a single ventricle pathway postnatally.

Fetal aortic valvuloplasty: investigating institutional bias in surgical decision-making.

OBJECTIVES: Fetal aortic valvuloplasty may prevent the progression of aortic stenosis to hypoplastic left heart syndrome and allow biventricular rather than univentricular postnatal treatment. This study aimed to investigate whether blinded simulation of a multidisciplinary team approach aids interpretation of multicenter data to uncover institutional bias in postnatal decision-making following fetal cardiac intervention for aortic stenosis. METHODS: The study included 109 cases of prenatally diagnosed aortic stenosis from 13 European countries, of which 32 had undergone fetal cardiac intervention. The multidisciplinary team, blinded to fetal cardiac intervention, institutional location and postnatal treatment, retrospectively assigned a surgical pathway (biventricular or univentricular) based on a review of recorded postnatal imaging and clinical characteristics. The team's decisions were the numerical consensus of silent voting, with case review when a decision was split. Funnel plots showing concordance between the multidisciplinary team and the local team's surgical choice (first pathway) and with outcome (final pathway) were created. RESULTS: In 105 cases the multidisciplinary team reached a consensus decision regarding the surgical pathway, with no decision in four cases because the available imaging records were inadequate. Blinded multidisciplinary team consensus for the first pathway matched the decision of the surgical center in 93/105 (89%) cases, with no difference in agreement between those that had undergone successful fetal cardiac intervention (n = 32) and no (n = 74) or unsuccessful (n = 3) valvuloplasty (no fetal cardiac intervention) (κ = 0.73 (95% CI, 0.38-1.00) vs 0.74 (95% CI, 0.51-0.96)). However, funnel plots comparing multidisciplinary team individual decisions with those of the local teams displayed more discordance (meaning biventricular-univentricular conversion) for the final surgical pathway following fetal cardiac intervention than they did for cases without such intervention (36/74 vs 34/130; P = 0.002), and identified one outlying center. CONCLUSIONS: The use of a blinded multidisciplinary team to simulate decision-making and presentation of data in funnel plots may assist in the interpretation of data submitted to multicenter studies and permit the identification of outliers for further investigation. In the case of aortic stenosis, a high level of agreement was observed between the multidisciplinary team and the surgical centers, but one outlying center was identified.

Foetal aortic valvuloplasty: experience of five cases.

OBJECTIVES: Foetal aortic valvuloplasty has been proposed as a strategy to improve left heart growth and function in foetuses with severe aortic stenosis at risk of progression to hypoplastic left heart syndrome. We report our experience with this intervention. METHODS AND RESULTS: Between 2005 and 2010, five foetuses with aortic stenosis and at risk of progression to hypoplastic left heart syndrome underwent ultrasound-guided percutaneous foetal aortic valvuloplasty. There were no associated maternal complications or foetal demise. In one case, the pregnancy was terminated a couple of weeks after the intervention, one foetus evolved to hypoplastic left heart syndrome, and three did not. CONCLUSIONS: Foetal aortic valvuloplasty seems to be a safe and feasible procedure. It has been reported that it has the potential to prevent progression to hypoplastic left heart syndrome in selected foetuses with severe aortic stenosis. Further investigation regarding physiological and clinical aspects of this disease both prenatally and postnatally will probably allow to improve therapeutic strategies and clinical outcome.

[Fetal aortic valvuloplasty in critical aortic stenosis: indication, technique and postnatal outcomes]. / Valvuloplastie aortique fœtale pour sténose aortique critique : indications, technique et devenir postnatal.

Aortic stenosis is a complex heart disease that involves the aortic valve and the left ventricle. Impairment of the left ventricle, abnormalities in its size, systolic and diastolic function determine the postnatal outcomes in the same way as the aortic valve. In the most severe forms, the left ventricle cannot provide systemic circulation at birth and the physiology is that of hypoplastic left heart syndrome. Fetal aortic valvuloplasty has been developed in the 90s to prevent in utero progression of aortic stenosis to hypoplastic left heart syndrome. In the present article, the most recently reported data about indications, procedure details and postnatal outcomes were reviewed.

Fluid Mechanics of Fetal Left Ventricle During Aortic Stenosis with Evolving Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome.

In cases of fetal aortic stenosis and evolving Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome (feHLHS), aortic stenosis is associated with specific abnormalities such as retrograde or bidirectional systolic transverse arch flow. Many cases progressed to hypoplastic left heart syndrome (HLHS) malformation at birth, but fetal aortic valvuloplasty can prevent the progression in many cases. Since both disease and intervention involve drastic changes to the biomechanical environment, in-vivo biomechanics likely play a role in inducing and preventing disease progression. However, the fluid mechanics of feHLHS is not well-characterized. Here, we conduct patient-specific echocardiography-based flow simulations of normal and feHLHS left ventricles (LV), to understand the essential fluid dynamics distinction between the two cohorts. We found high variability across feHLHS cases, but also the following unifying features. Firstly, feHLHS diastole mitral inflow was in the form of a narrowed and fast jet that impinged onto the apical region, rather than a wide and gentle inflow in normal LVs. This was likely due to a malformed mitral valve with impaired opening dynamics. This altered inflow caused elevated vorticity dynamics and wall shear stresses (WSS) and reduced oscillatory shear index at the apical zone rather than mid-ventricle. Secondly, feHLHS LV also featured elevated systolic and diastolic energy losses, intraventricular pressure gradients, and vortex formation numbers, suggesting energy inefficiency of flow and additional burden on the LV. Thirdly, feHLHS LV had poor blood turnover, suggesting a hypoxic environment, which could be associated with endocardial fibroelastosis that is often observed in these patients.

Fetal aortic valve stenosis and the evolution of hypoplastic left heart syndrome: patient selection for fetal intervention.

BACKGROUND: Fetal aortic valvuloplasty may prevent progression of aortic stenosis (AS) to hypoplastic left heart syndrome (HLHS). Predicting which fetuses with AS will develop HLHS is essential to optimize patient selection for fetal intervention. The aim of this study was to define echocardiographic features associated with progression of midgestation fetal AS to HLHS. METHODS AND RESULTS: Fetal echocardiograms were reviewed from 43 fetuses diagnosed with AS and normal left ventricular (LV) length at < or =30 weeks' gestation. Of 23 live-born patients with available follow-up data, 17 had HLHS and 6 had a biventricular circulation. At the time of diagnosis, LV length, mitral valve, aortic valve, and ascending aortic diameter Z-scores did not differ between fetuses that ultimately developed HLHS and those that maintained a biventricular circulation postnatally. However, all of the fetuses that progressed to HLHS had retrograde flow in the transverse aortic arch (TAA), 88% had left-to-right flow across the foramen ovale, 91% had monophasic mitral inflow, and 94% had significant LV dysfunction. In contrast, all 6 fetuses with a biventricular circulation postnatally had antegrade flow in the TAA, biphasic mitral inflow, and normal LV function. With advancing gestation, growth arrest of left heart structures became evident in fetuses developing HLHS. CONCLUSIONS: In midgestation fetuses with AS and normal LV length, reversed flow in the TAA and foramen ovale, monophasic mitral inflow, and LV dysfunction are predictive of progression to HLHS. These physiological features may help refine patient selection for fetal intervention to prevent the progression of AS to HLHS.

Balloon dilation of severe aortic stenosis in the fetus: potential for prevention of hypoplastic left heart syndrome: candidate selection, technique, and results of successful intervention.

BACKGROUND: Preventing the progression of fetal aortic stenosis (AS) to hypoplastic left heart syndrome (HLHS) requires identification of fetuses with salvageable left hearts who would progress to HLHS if left untreated, a successful in utero valvotomy, and demonstration that a successful valvotomy promotes left heart growth in utero. Fetuses meeting the first criterion are undefined, and previous reports of fetal AS dilation have not evaluated the impact of intervention on in utero growth of left heart structures. METHODS AND RESULTS: We offered fetal AS dilation to 24 mothers whose fetuses had AS. At least 3 echocardiographers assigned a high probability that all 24 fetuses would progress to HLHS if left untreated. Twenty (21 to 29 weeks' gestation) underwent attempted AS dilation, with technical success in 14. Ideal fetal positioning for cannula puncture site and course of the needle (with or without laparotomy) proved to be necessary for procedural success. Serial fetal echocardiograms after intervention demonstrated growth arrest of the left heart structures in unsuccessful cases and in those who declined the procedure, while ongoing left heart growth was seen in successful cases. Resumed left heart growth led to a 2-ventricle circulation at birth in 3 babies. CONCLUSIONS: Fetal echocardiography can identify midgestation fetuses with AS who are at high risk for developing HLHS. Timely and successful aortic valve dilation requires ideal fetal and cannula positioning, prevents left heart growth arrest, and may result in normal ventricular anatomy and function at birth.

Changes in left heart hemodynamics after technically successful in-utero aortic valvuloplasty.

OBJECTIVE: Severe aortic stenosis in the mid-gestation fetus can progress to hypoplastic left heart syndrome (HLHS). @ In-utero aortic valvuloplasty is an innovative therapy to promote left ventricular growth and function and potentially to prevent HLHS. This study evaluated the effects of mid-gestation fetal balloon aortic valvuloplasty on subsequent fetal left ventricular function and left heart Doppler characteristics. METHODS: We reviewed fetuses with aortic stenosis that underwent attempted in-utero aortic valvuloplasty between 2000 and 2006. Pre-intervention and the latest post-intervention fetal echocardiograms were analyzed to characterize changes in left heart function and Doppler characteristics in utero. RESULTS: Forty-two fetuses underwent attempted aortic valvuloplasty during the study period, 12 of which were excluded from analysis secondary to inadequate follow-up data, termination or fetal demise. Study fetuses (n = 30) underwent pre-intervention echocardiography at a median gestational age of 23 weeks, and were followed for a median of 66 +/- 23 days post-intervention. In 26 fetuses, aortic valvuloplasty was technically successful. Among these 26, left heart physiology was abnormal pre-intervention and improved or normalized after intervention in most cases: biphasic mitral inflow was present in 5/25 (20%) cases pre-intervention and in 21/23 (91%) post-intervention (P < 0.001); moderate or severe mitral regurgitation was present in 14/26 (54%) cases pre-intervention and in 5/23 (22%) post-intervention (P = 0.02); bidirectional flow across the patent foramen ovale was present in 0/26 cases pre-intervention and in 6/25 (24%) post-intervention (P = 0.01); antegrade flow in the transverse arch was present in 0/25 cases pre-intervention and in 17/26 (65%) post-intervention (P < 0.001). The left ventricular ejection fraction increased from 19 +/- 10% pre-intervention to 39 +/- 14% post-intervention (P < 0.001). These changes were not observed in control fetuses (n = 18). CONCLUSION: Fetal aortic valvuloplasty, when technically successful, improves left ventricular systolic function and left heart Doppler characteristics.

Factors affecting technical success of fetal aortic valve dilation.

OBJECTIVE: We have reported previously that valve dilation enhances growth of cardiac structures and may prevent hypoplastic left heart syndrome (HLHS) in fetuses with critical aortic stenosis. We aimed to investigate maternal/fetal factors which may affect the technical success of fetal valvuloplasty, and to describe perinatal complications of the procedure. METHODS: This was a descriptive series of 22 fetuses diagnosed with critical aortic stenosis developing into HLHS which underwent intervention by valvuloplasty. Initially this was attempted using a percutaneous approach; reassessment after our first five attempts, only one of which was successful, led to the introduction of the option of laparotomy. Technical success was defined as balloon inflation across the aortic annulus and a broader jet through the aortic valve as assessed by Doppler. Data collected included body mass index, demographic variables, ultrasound findings and postprocedure interventions. RESULTS: Technical success increased significantly if maternal laparotomy was an option (83.3% vs. 20.0%, P = 0.017). Laparotomy was performed in 66.6% (12/18) of cases. There was a learning curve that showed an increase in success rate and decrease in need for laparotomy over the 3-year study period. Neither the need for laparotomy nor the chances of technical success were predictable by gestational age, body mass index or placental location. Tocolysis was limited to perioperative prophylaxis; one woman experienced wound infection and fluid overload. Postoperatively, three fetuses died and two delivered prematurely, 2 and 7 weeks after intervention. CONCLUSION: Fetal aortic valvuloplasty can be performed with technical success, with low fetal loss rate and few maternal complications. While the need for laparotomy cannot be predicted, having it available as an option improves the technical success rate.