Transcatheter Tricuspid Valve-in-Valve Procedure-An Illustrative Case Report and Review.

Severe tricuspid commitment is no longer understood as merely a marker of disease but is now widely thought of as a significant contributor to cardiac morbidity and mortality. However, isolated tricuspid valve surgery remains rare and to this day continues to be associated with the highest surgical risk among all valve procedures and high operative mortality rates, especially in reoperations. Therefore, the development of tricuspid transcatheter procedures is as necessary as it was for the other valves a couple of years ago. Recently, multiple percutaneous therapies have been developed for the management of severe tricuspid disease, initially only repair and more recently replacement, thus creating a new branch for the management of patients who have already undergone surgery and who present with dysfunctional bioprostheses. The purpose of this review and report is to demonstrate current and possible future challenges, and to show that the valve-in-valve procedure of the tricuspid valve is feasible and safe, and now can be performed in all its range, in the smallest to the largest sizes of presentation, without incurring the untoward risks of conventional surgery.

Left Atrial Appendage Closure with Amplatzer Cardiac Plug in Nonvalvular Atrial Fibrillation: Safety and Long-Term Outcome / Oclusão Percutânea do Apêndice Atrial Esquerdo com Amplatzer Cardiac Plug na Fibrilação Atrial não Valvar: Análise de Segurança e Resultados de Longo Prazo

Abstract Background: Atrial fibrillation (AF) is a cardiac arrhythmia with high risk for thromboembolic events, specially stroke. Objective: To assess the safety of left atrial appendage closure (LAAC) with the Amplatzer Cardiac Plug for the prevention of thromboembolic events in patients with nonvalvular AF. Methods: This study included 15 patients with nonvalvular AF referred for LAAC, 6 older than 75 years (mean age, 69.4 ± 9.3 years; 60% of the male sex). Results: The mean CHADS2 score was 3.4 ± 0.1, and mean CHA2DS2VASc , 4.8 ± 1.8, evidencing a high risk for thromboembolic events. All patients had a HAS-BLED score > 3 (mean, 4.5 ± 1.2) with a high risk for major bleeding within 1 year. The device was successfully implanted in all patients, with correct positioning in the first attempt in most of them (n = 11; 73.3%). Conclusion: There was no periprocedural complication, such as device migration, pericardial tamponade, vascular complications and major bleeding. All patients had an uneventful in-hospital course, being discharged in 2 days. The echocardiographic assessments at 6 and 12 months showed neither device migration, nor thrombus formation, nor peridevice leak. On clinical assessment at 12 months, no patient had thromboembolic events or bleeding related to the device or risk factors. In this small series, LAAC with Amplatzer Cardiac Plug proved to be safe, with high procedural success rate and favorable outcome at the 12-month follow-up. (Arq Bras Cardiol. 2017; [online].ahead print, PP.0-0)

Resumo Fundamento: Fibrilação atrial (FA) é uma arritmia cardíaca que submete os pacientes a alto risco de eventos tromboembólicos, particularmente o acidente vascular encefálico. Objetivo: Avaliar a segurança da oclusão do apêndice atrial esquerdo (OAAE) com o dispositivo Amplatzer Cardiac Plug na prevenção de fenômenos embólicos em pacientes com FA de origem não valvar. Métodos: Este estudo de OAAE incluiu 15 pacientes, sendo 6 (40%) acima de 75 anos (idade média, 69,4 ± 9,3 anos; 60% do sexo masculino). Resultados: A média do escore CHADS2 foi 3,4 ± 0,1. Quando se aplicou o CHA2DS2VASc, a média foi de 4,8 ± 1,8, mostrando alto risco de eventos tromboembólicos. Todos os pacientes tinham o escore HAS-BLED > 3 (média 4,5 ± 1,2) com alto risco de sangramentos maiores em 1 ano. Houve sucesso no implante do dispositivo em todos os pacientes, com posicionamento correto na primeira tentativa na maioria deles (n = 11; 73,3%). Conclusão: Não houve complicações periprocedimento, como migração do dispositivo, tamponamento pericárdico, complicações vasculares e hemorragias maiores. Na fase intra-hospitalar, os pacientes evoluíram favoravelmente, obtendo alta em até 2 dias. Nas avaliações ecocardiográficas do seguimento em 6 e 12 meses, não houve migração do dispositivo, presença de trombos e nem vazamentos peridispositivo. Na evolução clínica aos 12 meses, nenhum dos pacientes apresentou eventos tromboembólicos ou sangramentos relacionados aos fatores de risco ou ao dispositivo. Nesta pequena série, a OAAE mostrou-se segura, com uma alta taxa de sucesso do procedimento e evolução favorável dos pacientes aos 12 meses. (Arq Bras Cardiol. 2017; [online].ahead print, PP.0-0)

Left Atrial Appendage Closure with Amplatzer Cardiac Plug in Nonvalvular Atrial Fibrillation: Safety and Long-Term Outcome.

BACKGROUND: Atrial fibrillation (AF) is a cardiac arrhythmia with high risk for thromboembolic events, specially stroke. OBJECTIVE: To assess the safety of left atrial appendage closure (LAAC) with the Amplatzer Cardiac Plug for the prevention of thromboembolic events in patients with nonvalvular AF. METHODS: This study included 15 patients with nonvalvular AF referred for LAAC, 6 older than 75 years (mean age, 69.4 ± 9.3 years; 60% of the male sex). RESULTS: The mean CHADS2 score was 3.4 ± 0.1, and mean CHA2DS2VASc , 4.8 ± 1.8, evidencing a high risk for thromboembolic events. All patients had a HAS-BLED score > 3 (mean, 4.5 ± 1.2) with a high risk for major bleeding within 1 year. The device was successfully implanted in all patients, with correct positioning in the first attempt in most of them (n = 11; 73.3%). CONCLUSION: There was no periprocedural complication, such as device migration, pericardial tamponade, vascular complications and major bleeding. All patients had an uneventful in-hospital course, being discharged in 2 days. The echocardiographic assessments at 6 and 12 months showed neither device migration, nor thrombus formation, nor peridevice leak. On clinical assessment at 12 months, no patient had thromboembolic events or bleeding related to the device or risk factors. In this small series, LAAC with Amplatzer Cardiac Plug proved to be safe, with high procedural success rate and favorable outcome at the 12-month follow-up. (Arq Bras Cardiol. 2017; [online].ahead print, PP.0-0).

Oclusão percutânea do apêndice atrial esquerdo com o Amplatzer Cardiac PlugTM na fibrilação atrial / Percutaneous occlusion of left atrial appendage with the Amplatzer Cardiac PlugTM in atrial fibrillation

Fundamento: A fibrilação atrial está associada a acidentes vasculares embólicos que frequentemente resultam em morte ou invalidez. Eficaz na redução desses eventos, a anticoagulação possui várias limitações e vem sendo amplamente subutilizada. Mais de 90 por cento dos trombos identificados nos portadores de fibrilação atrial sem doença valvar se originam no apêndice atrial esquerdo, cuja oclusão é investigada como uma alternativa à anticoagulação. Objetivo: Determinar a viabilidade da oclusão percutânea do apêndice atrial esquerdo em pacientes com alto risco de eventos embólicos e limitações ao uso de anticoagulação. Métodos: Relatamos a experiência inicial com o Amplatzer Cardiac PlugTM (St. Jude Medical Inc., Saint Paul, Estados Unidos) em pacientes com fibrilação atrial não valvar. Foram selecionados pacientes com alto risco de tromboembolia, sangramentos maiores e contraindicações ao uso ou grande labilidade na resposta ao anticoagulante. Os procedimentos foram realizados por via percutânea, sob anestesia geral e com ecocardiografia transesofágica. O desfecho primário foi a presença de complicações periprocedimento e o seguimento programado incluiu reavaliação clínica e ecocardiográfica em 30 dias e por contato telefônico após nove meses. Resultados: Nos cinco pacientes selecionados se conseguiu a oclusão do apêndice atrial esquerdo sem complicações periprocedimento. Não houve eventos clínicos no seguimento. Conclusão: Ensaios clínicos controlados são necessários antes que o fechamento percutâneo do apêndice atrial esquerdo constitua uma alternativa à anticoagulação na fibrilação atrial não associada a doença valvar. Mas o dispositivo se mostrou promissor em pacientes com alto risco de embolia e restrições ao uso de anticoagulantes.

Background: Atrial fibrillation is associated with embolic strokes that often result in death or disability. Effective in reducing these events, anticoagulation has several limitations and has been widely underutilized. Over 90 percent of thrombi identified in patients with atrial fibrillation without valvular disease originate in the left atrial appendage, whose occlusion is investigated as an alternative to anticoagulation. Objective: To determine the feasibility of percutaneous occlusion of the left atrial appendage in patients at high risk of embolic events and limitations to the use of anticoagulation. Methods: We report our initial experience with Amplatzer Cardiac PlugTM (St. Jude Medical Inc., Saint Paul, Estados Unidos) in patients with nonvalvular atrial fibrillation. We selected patients at high risk of thromboembolism, major bleeding, contraindications to the use or major instability in response to the anticoagulant. The procedures were performed percutaneously under general anesthesia and transesophageal echocardiography. The primary outcome was the presence of periprocedural complications and follow-up program included clinical and echocardiographic review within 30 days and by telephone contact after nine months. Results: In five selected patients it was possible to occlude the left atrial appendage without periprocedural complications. There were no clinical events in follow-up. Conclusion: Controlled clinical trials are needed before percutaneous closure of the left atrial appendage should be considered an alternative to anticoagulation in nonvalvular atrial fibrillation. But the device has shown to be promissory in patients at high risk of embolism and restrictions on the use of anticoagulants.

Percutaneous occlusion of left atrial appendage with the Amplatzer Cardiac PlugTM in atrial fibrillation.

BACKGROUND: Atrial fibrillation is associated with embolic strokes that often result in death or disability. Effective in reducing these events, anticoagulation has several limitations and has been widely underutilized. Over 90% of thrombi identified in patients with atrial fibrillation without valvular disease originate in the left atrial appendage, whose occlusion is investigated as an alternative to anticoagulation. OBJECTIVE: To determine the feasibility of percutaneous occlusion of the left atrial appendage in patients at high risk of embolic events and limitations to the use of anticoagulation. METHODS: We report our initial experience with Amplatzer Cardiac Plug™ (St. Jude Medical Inc., Saint Paul, Estados Unidos) in patients with nonvalvular atrial fibrillation. We selected patients at high risk of thromboembolism, major bleeding, contraindications to the use or major instability in response to the anticoagulant. The procedures were performed percutaneously under general anesthesia and transesophageal echocardiography. The primary outcome was the presence of periprocedural complications and follow-up program included clinical and echocardiographic review within 30 days and by telephone contact after nine months. RESULTS: In five selected patients it was possible to occlude the left atrial appendage without periprocedural complications. There were no clinical events in follow-up. CONCLUSION: Controlled clinical trials are needed before percutaneous closure of the left atrial appendage should be considered an alternative to anticoagulation in nonvalvular atrial fibrillation. But the device has shown to be promissory in patients at high risk of embolism and restrictions on the use of anticoagulants.