Coronary Artery Bypass Surgery: Comparing the Long-Term Impact of Total Arterial Grafting With Multiarterial Plus Saphenous Vein Grafting.

INTRODUCTION: This study aimed to compare the long-term outcomes in a propensity matched population receiving total arterial grafting (TAG) and multiple arterial grafts (MAG) in addition to saphenous vein graft (SVG) following multivessel coronary artery bypass grafting requiring at least three distal anastomoses. METHODS: In this retrospective study, 655 patients from two centers met the inclusion criteria and were divided into two groups: TAG group (n = 231) and MAG + SVG group (n = 424). Propensity score matching was performed resulting in 231 pairs. RESULTS: No significant differences were observed between both groups in terms of early outcomes. Survival probabilities at 5, 10, and 15 y were 89.1% versus 94.2%, 76.2% versus 76.1%, and 66.7% versus 69.8% in the TAG and MAG + SVG groups, respectively (hazard ratio stratified on matched pairs: 0.90; 95% confidence interval [0.45-1.77]; P = 0.754). Freedom from major adverse cardiac and cerebral events (MACCE) in the matched cohort did not show any significant difference between both groups. Probabilities at 5, 10, and 15 y were 82.7% versus 85.6%, 62.2% versus 75.3%, and 48.8% versus 59.5% in the TAG and MAG + SVG groups, respectively (hazard ratio stratified on matched pairs: 1.12; 95% confidence interval [0.65-1.92]; P = 0.679). Subgroup analyses of the matched cohort showed no significant difference between TAR with three arterial conduits compared to TAR with two arterial conduits with sequential grafting and MAG + SVG in terms of long-term survival and freedom from MACCE. CONCLUSIONS: Multiple arterial revascularizations in addition to SVG may yield comparable long-term outcomes in terms of survival and freedom from MACCE compared to total arterial revascularization.

Innovations in Aortic Valve Replacement: A Comprehensive Overview of the Intuity Rapid Deployment Valve.

Rapid deployment/sutureless (RDS) valves have recently emerged as an innovative surgical solution, providing an alternative to traditional methods of surgical aortic valve replacement (SAVR) by eliminating the need for suture placement and tying. This innovation leads to a reduction in aortic crossclamp and cardiopulmonary bypass times, enhancing the efficiency of the procedure. Among the 2 available RDS valves, the Edwards Intuity valve in particular has been demonstrated to be a particularly promising substitute in the field of SAVR. The Intuity valve distinguishes itself from other RDS and conventional valves by yielding superior outcomes, such as a significant reduction in mortality, increase in the longevity of the valve, and a marked decrease in both mean and peak transvalvular pressure gradients. These benefits collectively contribute to its appeal as a favorable new solution. However, further investigation is needed to conclusively determine the long-term outcomes and safety of RDS valves. Nevertheless, the utilization of the Intuity valve presents an exciting solution to the existing limitations of conventional and minimally invasive SAVR, especially for patients afflicted with severe aortic stenosis.

Self-Expanding Transcatheter Aortic Valves Optimize Transvalvular Hemodynamics Independent of Intra- Versus Supra-Annular Design.

This study sought to characterize transvalvular hemodynamics during the first 30 days after transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) across various transcatheter heart valves (THVs), while adjusting for annular dimensions. This was an observational study of TAVIs from September 2021 to October 2022. The primary outcome was mean transvalvular pressure gradient (TVPG), measured using transthoracic echocardiography at day 0, day 1, and day 30 post-TAVI, and were compared across 3 THV, including the self-expandable intra-annular Portico (Abbott Vascular, Santa Clara, California) valve, the balloon-expandable SAPIEN 3 Ultra (Edwards Lifesciences, Irvine, California), and the self-expandable supra-annular Evolut Pro+ (Medtronic, Minneapolis, Minnesota). A total of 560 patients who underwent TAVI were identified, of which 106 (18.9%) received a Portico THV, 176 (31.4%) received a SAPIEN THV, and 278 (49.6%) received an Evolut THV. For Portico THV, the TVPG on day 0 increased from 6.0 (4.7 to 9.0) to 7.0 (6.0 to 10.0) by day 30 (p = 0.009). For SAPIEN THV, the TVPG on day 0 increased from 6.5 (5.0 to 8.0) to 12.0 (9.0 to 15.0) by day 30 (p <0.001). For Evolut THV, the TVPG on day 0 increased from 6.0 (5.0 to 9.0) to 7.2 (5.0 to 10.0) by day 30 (p = 0.001). Adjusting for time and annular diameter in a multivariable mixed effects model, the SAPIEN group had a significantly greater increase in TVPG over time than the Evolut reference group (p <0.001), while there was no difference in the change of TVPG over time for the Portico group vs. the Evolut group (p = 0.874). In conclusion, compared with balloon-expandable valves, self-expanding THV may optimize transvalvular hemodynamics across all annular diameters, independent of their supra-annular and intra-annular design.