Transcatheter aortic valve implantation facilitated by right common carotid cut-down and innominate artery angioplasty with simultaneous right coronary artery vein graft percutaneous coronary intervention in a patient with mid aortic syndrome: a case report.

BACKGROUND: Transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) is most commonly performed via the femoral approach. Small caliber ilio-femoral arteries, severe calcification and tortuosity are often prohibitive reasons for TAVI via the femoral approach. Mid-aortic syndrome is a rare condition describing congenital or acquired coarctation of the abdominal aorta. CASE SUMMARY: To the best of our knowledge, this case report describes the world's first TAVI in a patient with mid-aortic syndrome with challenging vascular access that would preclude conventional TAVI access routes. A 76-year-old woman with intermittent claudication, underwent work-up for axillo-bifemoral bypass, underwent a TAVI for incidental severe asymptomatic severe aortic stenosis via right common carotid TAVI facilitated by innominate artery angioplasty achieved vascular access for TAVI. Percutaneous coronary intervention to a right coronary artery vein graft was simultaneously performed via a left brachial artery cut down. DISCUSSION: We demonstrate that complex angioplasty to coronary artery bypass grafts and the innominate artery alongside TAVI via a variety of arterial access sites is both safe and feasible.

Long-Term Durability of Transcatheter Aortic Valve Prostheses.

BACKGROUND: Very little is known about long-term valve durability after transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR). OBJECTIVES: This study sought to evaluate the incidence of structural valve degeneration (SVD) 5 to 10 years post-procedure. METHODS: Demographic, procedural, and in-hospital outcome data on patients who underwent TAVR from 2007 to 2011 were obtained from the U.K. TAVI (United Kingdom Transcatheter Aortic Valve Implantation) registry. Patients in whom echocardiographic data were available both at baseline and ≥5 years post-TAVR were included. Hemodynamic SVD was determined according to European task force committee guidelines. RESULTS: A total of 241 patients (79.3 ± 7.5 years of age; 46% female) with paired post-procedure and late echocardiographic follow-up (median 5.8 years, range 5 to 10 years) were included. A total of 149 patients (64%) were treated with a self-expandable valve and 80 (34.7%) with a balloon-expandable valve. Peak aortic valve gradient at follow-up was lower than post-procedure (17.1 vs. 19.1 mm Hg; p = 0.002). More patients had none/trivial aortic regurgitation (AR) (47.5% vs. 33%), and fewer had mild AR (42.5% vs. 57%) at follow-up (p = 0.02). There was 1 case (0.4%) of severe SVD 5.3 years after implantation (new severe AR). There were 21 cases (8.7%) of moderate SVD (mean 6.1 years post-implantation; range 4.9 to 8.6 years). Twelve of these (57%) were due to new AR and 9 (43%) to restenosis. CONCLUSIONS: Long-term transcatheter aortic valve function is excellent. In the authors' study, 91% of patients remained free of SVD between 5 and 10 years post-implantation. The incidence of severe SVD was <1%. Moderate SVD occurred in 1 in 12 patients.

Do surgeons need to look after unwell patients? The role of medical emergency teams.

BACKGROUND: Medical emergency teams (MET) have been shown to reduce in-hospital morbidity and mortality of surgical patients. The present study reviews the experience with the use of MET in the care of critically unwell surgical patients. METHODS: Data were prospectively collected on all patients in a general surgical unit of a tertiary referral centre meeting the criteria for activating a MET over a 6 month period. These data were retrospectively analysed with respect to surgical team and MET involvement in the care of these patients. RESULTS: Over the 6 month study period, 22 patients qualified for a MET response based on criteria of physiological instability. A MET was activated for 13 of these patients (59%), with the remainder being managed by direct consultation with intensive care and medical staff. Forty-six per cent of MET activations were outside of normal working hours. Respiratory distress including tachypnoea and desaturation was the most commonly identified physiological abnormality (13 patients), accounting for 62% of MET activations. A MET was activated by a surgical registrar in 46% of cases. Seventy-seven per cent of MET activations were preceded by at least one registrar level assessment without resolution of the patient's clinical deterioration. The most common MET interventions were supplementation of oxygen therapy and initiation of pharmacotherapy (11 patients). The surgical team complemented the MET response by providing detailed information regarding the patient's surgical condition, premorbid status (13 patients), organized transfer to the operating theatre (three patients), initiated blood transfusions (two patients) and deciding to order abdominal computed tomography (two patients). Urgent surgical decision making was required in 23% of MET activations. CONCLUSIONS: Medical emergency team activations for critically unwell surgical patients are complemented by surgical team involvement in the decision making and management process. The MET may be underutilized in the management of unwell surgical patients.

A multicenter study of the tolerability of tirofiban versus placebo in patients undergoing planned intracoronary stent placement.

BACKGROUND: The use of intravenous glycoprotein IIb/IIIa-receptor antagonists has been shown to improve outcomes in patients undergoing percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA). Tirofiban has shown benefit in a wide range of patients presenting with acute coronary syndromes. Although this agent has been used in patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention, a literature search identified no prospective data comparing tirofiban with placebo in patients undergoing planned intracoronary stent placement. OBJECTIVE: This study examined the tolerability of tirofiban in patients undergoing percutaneous intervention with planned intracoronary stent placement. METHODS: This was a multinational, multicenter, prospective, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial in patients scheduled to undergo PTCA with planned intracoronary stent placement. Patients were randomized in a 3:2 ratio to receive tirofiban as an intravenous bolus (10 microg/kg over 3 minutes) and maintenance infusion (0.10 microg/kg per minute for 36 hours) or a bolus and infusion of placebo. All patients received periprocedural aspirin and heparin and an optional postprocedural thienopyridine (ticlopidine or clopidogrel). Laboratory and safety monitoring were performed throughout the 36 hours after the procedure and at hour 40 or hospital discharge. The primary end point was the proportion of patients with bleeding, defined according to Thrombolysis in Myocardial Infarction (TIMI) trial criteria. The number of patients with cardiac events (death, myo- cardial infarction, urgent revascularization) during the first 30 days after stent placement was also assessed. RESULTS: Eight hundred ninety-four patients (536 tirofiban, 358 placebo) were enrolled, all of whom received aspirin and heparin periprocedurally and optional ticlopidine or clopidogrel after the procedure. No significant between-group differences were observed in the incidence of TIMI major bleeding (0.2% tirofiban, 0.6% placebo) or any TIMI bleeding (3.2% and 1.7%, respectively). The incidence of TIMI minor bleeding was higher with tirofiban than with placebo (2.8% vs 0.6%). The 30-day incidence of the composite end point of any cardiac event was 3.9% in both groups. CONCLUSIONS: On a background of concomitant aspirin, heparin, and a thienopyridine, tirofiban was generally well tolerated in patients undergoing PTCA with planned intracoronary stent placement. Further investigation is needed to ascertain the optimal dosing of tirofiban and heparin to achieve reductions in ischemic complications of intracoronary stenting with an acceptable incidence of bleeding complications.

Conventional aortic valve replacement for high-risk aortic stenosis patients not suitable for trans-catheter aortic valve implantation: feasibility and outcome.

OBJECTIVE: High-risk patients with aortic stenosis are increasingly referred to specialist multidisciplinary teams (MDTs) for consideration of trans-catheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI). A subgroup of these cases is unsuitable for TAVI, and high-risk conventional aortic valve replacement (AVR) is undertaken. We have studied our outcomes in this cohort. METHODS: Data prospectively collected between March 2008 and November 2009 for patients (n = 28, nine male) undergoing high-risk AVR were analysed. The mean age was 78.4 ± 9.2 years. The mean additive EuroSCORE (European System for Cardiac Operative Risk Evaluation) was 10.0 ± 3.6 and mean logistic EuroSCORE was 19.9 ± 18.8. Three patients had undergone previous coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG). RESULTS: The mean ejection fraction was 51 ± 16%, mean valve area 0.56 ± 0.19 cm², and mean peak gradient 91 ± 27 mm Hg. Ascending aortic, right axillary artery and femoral artery cannulation was used in 64%, 29% and 7% of cases, respectively. Median cross-clamp and cardiopulmonary bypass times were 84 (68-143) min and 111 (94-223) min. The median (range) inserted valve size was 21 (19-25) mm. Median intensive care and overall hospital stay were 5 (2-37) and 11 (5-44) days, respectively. In-hospital mortality was 4% (one patient). Postoperative complications included re-operation for bleeding (7%), renal failure (21%), tracheostomy (14%), sternal wound infection (7%), atrial fibrillation (25%) and permanent pacemaker implantation (7%). Kaplan-Meier survival at median follow-up of 359 (148-744) days was 81% (one further death of non-cardiac aetiology). Quality-of-life assessment at follow-up also yielded satisfactory results. CONCLUSIONS: MDT assessment of high-risk aortic stenosis in the era of TAVI has increased the number of referrals. Conventional open surgery remains a valid option for these patients, with acceptable in-hospital mortality and early/midterm outcomes but high in-hospital morbidity.

Long-term outcomes after transcatheter aortic valve implantation in high-risk patients with severe aortic stenosis: the U.K. TAVI (United Kingdom Transcatheter Aortic Valve Implantation) Registry.

OBJECTIVES: The objective was to define the characteristics of a real-world patient population treated with transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI), regardless of technology or access route, and to evaluate their clinical outcome over the mid to long term. BACKGROUND: Although a substantial body of data exists in relation to early clinical outcomes after TAVI, there are few data on outcomes beyond 1 year in any notable number of patients. METHODS: The U.K. TAVI (United Kingdom Transcatheter Aortic Valve Implantation) Registry was established to report outcomes of all TAVI procedures performed within the United Kingdom. Data were collected prospectively on 870 patients undergoing 877 TAVI procedures up until December 31, 2009. Mortality tracking was achieved in 100% of patients with mortality status reported as of December 2010. RESULTS: Survival at 30 days was 92.9%, and it was 78.6% and 73.7% at 1 year and 2 years, respectively. There was a marked attrition in survival between 30 days and 1 year. In a univariate model, survival was significantly adversely affected by renal dysfunction, the presence of coronary artery disease, and a nontransfemoral approach; whereas left ventricular function (ejection fraction <30%), the presence of moderate/severe aortic regurgitation, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease remained the only independent predictors of mortality in the multivariate model. CONCLUSIONS: Midterm to long-term survival after TAVI was encouraging in this high-risk patient population, although a substantial proportion of patients died within the first year.

Interhospital transfers of patients with surgical emergencies: areas for improvement.

OBJECTIVE: To review mortality associated with interhospital transfers of patients with surgical emergencies from rural and peripheral metropolitan areas. DESIGN: A retrospective case note review. SETTING: All hospitals within an area health service including metropolitan and rural hospitals. SUBJECTS: All patients with a surgical emergency who died in hospital after interhospital transfer within an area health service. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Factors associated with death and interhospital transfer. RESULTS: In total, 22 patients were identified. The mean age was 77 years. Thirty-six per cent of patients were assessed by a surgeon prior to transfer. The mean time taken for transfer was five hours. Ten patients were physiologically unstable prior to transfer. No medical escort accompanied these patients. Four patients deteriorated during the transport process. Seventy-three per cent of patients arrived out of normal working hours. Fifty per cent of patients required an operation within 24 hours of arrival. All of these patients had significant medical co-morbidities. Seventy-two per cent of these operations were performed out of hours as an emergency case. Twenty-three per cent did not receive any operative intervention or intensive care admission at the tertiary referral centre. Forty-one per cent of deaths were related to peritonitis and intra-abdominal soiling. CONCLUSIONS: Hospital systemic issues associated with mortality included extensive time delays in transfers, an inadequate transport process and frequent out-of-hours emergency operations. Patient features related to mortality included advanced age, significant medical co-morbidity and surgical pathology with a poor prognosis. Improvements concerning interhospital transfers of patients should address both systemic and patient issues.