Impact and limitations of 3D computational modelling in transcatheter mitral valve replacement-a two-centre Dutch experience.

BACKGROUND: Transcatheter mitral valve replacement (TMVR) has emerged as a minimally invasive alternative to mitral valve surgery for patients at high or prohibitive operative risk. Prospective studies reported favourable outcomes in patients with annulus calcification (valve-in-mitral annulus calcification; ViMAC), failed annuloplasty ring (mitral valve-in-ring; MViR), and bioprosthetic mitral valve dysfunction (mitral valve-in-valve; MViV). Multi-slice computed tomography (MSCT)-derived 3D-modelling and simulations may provide complementary anatomical perspectives for TMVR planning. AIMS: We aimed to illustrate the implementation of MSCT-derived modelling and simulations in the workup of TMVR for ViMAC, MViR, and MViV. METHODS: For this retrospective study, we included all consecutive patients screened for TMVR and compared MSCT data, echocardiographic outcomes and clinical outcomes. RESULTS: Sixteen out of 41 patients were treated with TMVR (ViMAC n = 9, MViR n = 3, MViV n = 4). Eleven patients were excluded for inappropriate sizing, 4 for anchoring issues and 10 for an unacceptable risk of left ventricular outflow tract obstruction (LVOTO) based on 3D modelling. There were 3 procedure-related deaths and 1 non-procedure-related cardiovascular death during 30 days of follow-up. LVOTO occurred in 3 ViMAC patients and 1 MViR patient, due to deeper valve implantation than planned in 3 patients, and anterior mitral leaflet displacement with recurrent basal septum thickening in 1 patient. TMVR significantly reduced mitral mean gradients as compared with baseline measurements (median mean gradient 9.5 (9.0-11.5) mm Hg before TMVR versus 5.0 (4.5-6.0) mm Hg after TMVR, p = 0.03). There was no residual mitral regurgitation at 30 days. CONCLUSION: MSCT-derived 3D modelling and simulation provide valuable anatomical insights for TMVR with transcatheter balloon expandable valves in ViMAC, MViR and MViV. Further planning iterations should target the persistent risk for neo-LVOTO.

Case report of increased left ventricular end-diastolic pressure with pulsatile left ventricular assist device.

Background: Left ventricular assist devices (LVADs) are increasingly utilized in cardiogenic shock and high-risk percutaneous coronary interventions (PCIs). These devices aspirate and expel blood from the left ventricle (LV) into the aorta, consequently reducing left ventricular end-diastolic pressure (LVEDP). We report a case of unexpected LVEDP rise under LV-to-aorta LVAD in the context of transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) and concomitant multi-vessel PCI. Case summary: A patient with acute heart failure, severely depressed systolic LV function, severe aortic stenosis, and multi-vessel coronary artery disease underwent TAVI and concomitant PCI under pulsatile LVAD. Notably, the patient experienced unexpected shortness of breath and elevated LVEDP while under LVAD, which normalized immediately upon LVAD removal. Discussion: Pulsatile LVAD enhances cardiac output by providing pulsatile support through a percutaneous bi-directional flow catheter. Despite expectations of reduced LVEDP and improved myocardial oxygen supply under LVAD support, we observed high LVEDP and clinical complaints of shortness of breath following TAVI and multi-vessel PCI. This case illustrates that an LVAD across the aortic valve may immobilize aortic leaflets and generate acute aortic regurgitation.

Sequential Alcohol Septal Ablation to Resolve LV Outflow Tract Obstruction After Transcatheter Mitral Valve Replacement.

Left ventricular outflow tract obstruction (LVOTO) is a notorious complication of transcatheter mitral valve replacement (TMVR). Computed tomography-derived simulations can predict neo-LVOTO post-TMVR, whereas alcohol septal ablation (ASA) can mitigate neo-LVOTO risk. We report a case of sequential ASA of 2 adjacent septal branches to resolve unexpected neo-LVOTO post-TMVR.

Comparative analysis of different risk prediction tools after mitral Transcatheter edge-to-edge repair.

BACKGROUND: Transcatheter edge-to-edge repair (TEER) has become an established treatment for primary and secondary mitral regurgitation (PMR and SMR). The objective of this study was to compare the accuracy of different risk scores for predicting 1-year mortality and the composite endpoint of 1-year mortality and/or heart failure (HF) hospitalization after TEER. METHODS: We analyzed data from 206 patients treated for MR at a tertiary European center between 2011 and 2023 and compared the accuracy of different mitral and surgical risk scores: EuroSCORE II, GRASP, MITRALITY, MitraScore, TAPSE/PASP-MitraScore, and STS for predicting 1-year mortality and the composite of 1-year mortality and/or HF hospitalization in PMR and SMR. A subanalysis of SMR-only patients with the addition of COAPT Risk Score and baseline N-Terminal pro-Brain Natriuretic Peptide (NT-proBNP) list was also performed. RESULTS: MITRALITY had the best discriminative ability for 1-year mortality and the composite endpoint of 1-year mortality and/or HF hospitalization, with an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.74 and 0.74, respectively, in a composed group of PMR and SMR. In a SMR-only population, MITRALITY also presented the best AUC for 1-year mortality and the composite endpoint of 1-year mortality and/or HF hospitalization, with values of 0.72 and 0.72, respectively. CONCLUSION: MITRALITY was the best mitral TEER risk model for both 1-year mortality and the composite endpoint of 1-year mortality and/or HF hospitalization in a population of PMR and SMR patients, as well as in SMR patients only. Surgical risk scores, MitraScore, TAPSE/PASP-MitraScore and NT-proBNP alone showed poor predictive values.

Computed tomography to predict pacemaker need after transcatheter aortic valve replacement.

Transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) is preferred therapy for elderly patients with severe aortic stenosis (AS) and increasingly used in younger patient populations with good safety and efficacy outcomes. However, cardiac conduction abnormalities remain a frequent complication after TAVR ranging from relative benign interventriculair conduction delays to prognostically relevant left bundle branch block and complete atrio-ventricular (AV) block requiring permanent pacemaker implantation (PPI). Although clinical, procedural and electrocardiographic factors have been identified as predictors of this complication, there is a need for advanced strategies to control the burden of conduction defects particularly as TAVR shifts towards younger populations. This state of the art review highlights the value of ECG-synchronized computed tomographic angiography (CTA) evaluation of the aortic root to better understand and manage conduction problems post-TAVR. An update on CTA derived anatomic features related to conduction issues is provided and complemented with computational framework modelling. This CTA-derived 3-dimensional anatomical reconstruction tool generates patient-specific TAVR simulations enabling operators to adapt procedural strategy and implantation technique to mitigate conduction abnormality risks.

Myocardial Injury After Transcatheter Mitral Valve Replacement Versus Surgical Reoperation.

This study aimed to evaluate the incidence and clinical implications of myocardial injury, as determined by cardiac biomarker increase, in patients who underwent mitral bioprosthesis dysfunction treatment with transcatheter mitral valve replacement (TMVR) versus surgical mitral valve replacement reoperation (SMVR-REDO). Between 2014 and 2023, 310 patients with mitral bioprosthesis failure were included (90 and 220 patients for TMVR and SMVR-REDO, respectively). Multivariable analysis and propensity score matching were performed to adjust for the intergroup differences in baseline characteristics. Creatinine kinase-MB (CK-MB) and cardiac troponin I (cTn) were collected at baseline and 6 to 12, 24, 48, and 72 hours after intervention. The cardiac biomarkers values were evaluated in relation to their reference values. The outcomes were determined according to the Mitral Valve Academic Research Consortium criteria. CK-MB and cTn increased above the reference level in almost all patients after SMVR-REDO and TMVR (100% vs 94%, respectively), with the peak occurring within 6 to 12 hours. SMVR-REDO was associated with a two- to threefold higher increase in cardiac biomarkers. After 30 days, the mortality rates were 13.3% in the TMVR and 16.8% in the SMVR-REDO groups. At a median follow-up of 19 months, the mortality rates were 21.1% in the TMVR and 17.7% in the SMVR-REDO groups. Left ventricular ejection fraction, estimated glomerular filtration rate, CK-MB, and cTn were predictors of mortality. In conclusion, some degree of myocardial injury occurred systematically after the treatment of mitral bioprosthetic degeneration, especially after SMVR, and higher CK-MB and cTn levels were associated with increased cumulative late mortality, regardless of the approach.

Long-term outcomes of cardiogenic shock and cardiac arrest complicating ST-elevation myocardial infarction according to timing of occurrence.

Aims: Cardiogenic shock (CS) and cardiac arrest (CA) are serious complications in ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) patients, with lack of long-term data according to their timing of occurrence. This study sought to determine the incidence and relationship between the timing of occurrence and prognostic impact of CS and CA complicating STEMI in the long-term follow-up. Methods and results: We conducted a retrospective analysis of consecutive STEMI patients treated between 2004 and 2017. Patients were divided into four groups based on the occurrence of neither CA nor CS, CA only, CS only, and both CA and CS (CA-CS-, CA+, CS+, and CA+CS+, respectively). Adjusted Cox regression analysis was used to assess the independent association between the CS and CA categories and mortality. A total of 1603 STEMI patients were followed for a median of 3.6 years. CA and CS occurred in the 12.2% and 15.9% of patients, and both impacted long-term mortality [adjusted hazard ratio (HR) = 2.59, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.53-4.41, P < 0.001; HR = 3.16, 95% CI: 2.21-4.53, P < 0.001, respectively). CA+CS+ occurred in 7.3%, with the strongest association with higher mortality (adjusted HR = 5.36; 95% CI: 3.80-7.55, P < 0.001). Using flexible parametric models with B-splines, the increased mortality was restricted to the first ∼10 months. In addition, overall mortality rates were higher at all timings (all with P < 0.001), except for CA during initial cardiac catheterization (P < 0.183). Conclusion: CS and CA complicating patients presenting with STEMI were associated with higher long-term mortality rate, especially in the first 10 months. Both CS+ and CA+ at any timeframe impacted outcomes, except for CA+ during the initial cardiac catheterization, although this will have to be confirmed in larger future studies, given the relatively small number of patients.

Clinical impact of sex differences and procedural setting in transcatheter aortic valve implantation.

BACKGROUND: Transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) is a well-established treatment for symptomatic patients with aortic stenosis. Yet, the impact of sex differences and public vs. private procedural setting on TAVI outcomes remain uncertain. METHODS: The RIBAC-NT (Brazilian Registry for Evaluation of Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement Outcomes) dataset included 3194 TAVI patients from 2009 to 2021. This retrospective analysis explored disparities in baseline characteristics, procedural and in-hospital outcomes stratifying patients by sex and procedural setting. Temporal trends were also investigated. RESULTS: We included 1551 (49 %) female and 1643 (51 %) male patients. Women were older (83 [78-87] vs. 81 [75-85] years; p < 0.01) but had a lower prevalence of diabetes mellitus (30.2 % vs. 36.3 %, p < 0.01) and coronary artery disease (39.0 % vs. 52.2 %, p < 0.01). However, women had a 3-fold higher higher risk of life-threatening bleeding (6.1 % vs. 2.4 %, p < 0.01). Women presented higher procedural and in-hospital mortality rates (4.4 % vs. 2.5 % and 7.7 % vs. 4.5 %, all p < 0.01, respectively). Although public hospitals presented ~2-fold higher procedural mortality rate compared with private settings (5.0 % vs. 2.7 %, p < 0.01), after multivariable analysis procedural setting was not independently associated with in-hospital mortality. CONCLUSIONS: Women had higher procedural and in-hospital mortality rates after TAVI as compared with men, while facing higher life-threatening bleeding and adverse events rates. Although public hospitals exhibited higher mortality rates than private centers, procedural setting was not independently associated with in-hospital mortality.

Impact of periprocedural myocardial injury after transcatheter aortic valve implantation on long-term mortality: a meta-analysis of Kaplan-Meier derived individual patient data.

Background: Periprocedural myocardial injury (PPMI) frequently occurs after transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI), although its impact on long-term mortality is uncertain. Methods: We performed a pooled analysis of Kaplan-Meier-derived individual patient data to compare survival in patients with and without PPMI after TAVI. Flexible parametric models with B-splines and landmark analyses were used to determine PPMI prognostic value. Subgroup analyses for VARC-2, troponin, and creatine kinase-MB (CK-MB)-defined PPMI were also performed. Results: Eighteen observational studies comprising 10,094 subjects were included. PPMI was associated with lower overall survival (OS) after two years (HR = 1.46, 95% CI 1.30-1.65, p < 0.01). This was also observed when restricting the analysis to overall VARC-2-defined PPMI (HR = 1.23, 95% CI 1.07-1.40, p < 0.01). For VARC-2 PPMI criteria and VARC-2 troponin-only, higher mortality was restricted to the first 2 months after TAVI (HR = 1.64, 95% CI 1.31-2.07, p < 0.01; and HR = 1.32, 95% CI 1.05-1.67, p = 0.02, respectively), while for VARC-2 defined CK-MB-only the increase in mortality was confined to the first 30 days (HR = 7.44, 95% CI 4.76-11.66, p < 0.01). Conclusion: PPMI following TAVI was associated with lower overall survival compared with patients without PPMI. PPMI prognostic impact is restricted to the initial months after the procedure. The analyses were consistent for VARC-2 criteria and for both biomarkers, yet CK-MB was a stronger prognostic marker of mortality than troponin.

Post-Endomyocardial Biopsy Fistula Between Left Anterior Descending Artery and Right Ventricle.

The image in this vignette helps to illustrate a rare, albeit reported, complication of endomyocardial biopsy. The case was discussed by the heart team. Fistula occlusion with microcoils was considered; however, the patient was asymptomatic and presented no reduction of left ventricular ejection fraction, and the documented ischemia was minor. Therefore, the patient received conservative treatment.