Guerrero, Mayra E

Background: Tricuspid edge to edge repair (TEER) is a novel treatment for severe tricuspid regurgitation and is highly dependent on intraprocedural image quality. To date, transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) has been the primary imaging modality used to guide TEER. The role of intracardiac echocardiography (ICE) has not been assessed. The objective of this study was to describe the use and role of 2-dimensional ICE in the early experience of TEER. Methods: Consecutive patients undergoing TEER (with or without concomitant mitral repair) with off-label use of MitraClip (Abbott, Santa Clara, CA) were included in the study. Utilization of 2-dimensional ICE in comparison with TEE imaging were collected in each procedure through retrospective review of the procedural reports and images. Results: Of 42 TEER cases, ICE was used in 15 (36%) and concomitant mitral repair was performed in 37 (86%). ICE was increasingly used over time for TEER. ICE was able to visualize the tricuspid leaflets with high resolution and provided superior leaflet visualization to TEE in 40% of cases where it was used. Patients treated with ICE guidance tended to have a greater baseline severity of tricuspid regurgitation compared with patients treated with TEE guidance alone (8/15 [53%] massive or greater tricuspid regurgitation versus 6/27 [22%]; P =0.09). Degree of tricuspid regurgitation reduction was similar with TEE alone versus ICE plus TEE guidance (1.9±1.0 versus 2.1±1.1 grade reduction, P =0.28). Conclusions: ICE was increasingly used in the early experience of TEER over time. ICE facilitates leaflet visualization for grasping and is a useful adjunct to TEE during TEER.

AbstractBackgroundDue to elevated surgical risk, transcatheter mitral valve replacement (TMVR) is used as an alternative for treating failed bioprosthetic valves, annuloplasty repairs and mitral annular calcification (MAC). We report the procedural and longitudinal outcomes for each subtype: Mitral valve‐in‐valve (MVIV), mitral valve‐in‐ring (MViR), and valve‐in‐MAC (ViMAC).MethodsConsecutive patients undergoing TMVR from October 2013 to December 2019 were assessed. Patients at high risk for left ventricular outflow tract obstruction had either alcohol septal ablation or intentional laceration of the anterior leaflet (LAMPOON).ResultsEight‐eight patients underwent TMVR; 38 MViV, 31 MViR, and 19 ViMAC procedures were performed. The median Society of Thoracic Surgery 30‐day predicted risk of mortality was 8.2% (IQR 5.2, 19.9) for all. Sapien 3 (78%) and transseptal access (98%) were utilized in most cases. All‐cause in‐hospital mortality, technical, and procedural success were 8%, 83%, and 66% respectively. Median follow up was 1.4 years (IQR 0.5–2.9 years) and overall survival was 40% at 4 years. Differential survival rates were observed with MViV doing the best, followed by MViR and ViMAC having a <20% survival at 4 years. After adjusting for co‐variates, MViV procedure was the strongest predictor of survival (HR 0.24 [95% CI 0.079–0.7]).ConclusionTMVR is performed in at high‐risk patients with attenuated long‐term survival. MViV has the best success and survival rate, but long‐term survival in MViR and ViMAC is guarded.

AbstractObjectivesTo examine the safety of utilizing transapical access during structural interventions.BackgroundComplex interventions of the mitral or aortic region sometimes require coaxial forces to orient and deliver devices. Apical access can provide coaxial countertraction for either transseptal or retrograde aortic access. This manuscript describes the single center experience of small bore transapical access.MethodsRetrospective review of cases from 2013 to 2018 at Henry Ford Hospital was performed. Patient demographics and procedure characteristics were abstracted to describe the safety of transapical access using small bore sheaths.ResultsA total 21 cases were performed at Henry Ford, most of them for transcatheter mitral valve replacement (81%). The mean sheath size used was 4.7 ± 0.9 Fr and protamine was used at the end of 57% of cases. All patients received nitinol‐based plugs, 80.1% were from the Amplatz Duct Occluder II type. Four major complications related apical puncture occurred, two pericardial effusions, two hemothorax. Over a median follow time of 430 days (IQR 50–652) a total of five deaths occurred, two related to the procedure and three late deaths with a median time of 362 days (range 205–628 days). No deaths were associated with transapical access. Echocardiographic follow up did not detect any late structural complications from occluder devices.ConclusionsTransapical access and closure with nitinol‐based devices is feasible and facilitates complex interventions where coaxial forces are need for device delivery and alignment. The most common complication is bleeding and this should be kept in perspective when treating high‐risk patients.

AbstractTranscatheter tricuspid valve in valve (TViV) is increasingly performed on patients with degenerated bioprosthetic valves and elevated surgical risk. Jailing a right ventricular (RV) pacer lead at the time of TViV implantation has been achieved without causing lead dysfunction; however, device‐related complications that require lead extraction raise the need for better periprocedural strategies for TViV, in pacer‐dependent patients. We describe a case of device pocket infection with incomplete lead extraction, due to a jailed RV lead at the time of TViV.

AbstractObjectiveTo understand the clinical and hemodynamic response of patients with stenotic versus regurgitant prosthetic mitral valve degeneration to transseptal transcatheter mitral valve‐in‐ring/‐valve replacement (TMVR).BackgroundPatients with prosthetic mitral valve repair/replacement failure frequently present high‐risk surgical challenges. TMVR has been employed as an alternative to surgery.MethodsForty‐four patients with stenotic/regurgitant degeneration of prior prosthetic mitral annuloplasty and replacement (38) underwent mitral TMVR. Clinical, echocardiographic, and invasive hemodynamic monitoring was conducted at baseline and follow‐up.ResultsRelative to patients with regurgitant degeneration (28), patients with stenotic degeneration had baseline higher mitral valve gradients (12 ± 4 vs. 7 ± 3 mmHg, p < 0.01) and smaller areas (1.0 ± 0.4 vs. 1.5 ± 0.4 cm2, p = 0.01). TMVR yielded significant reduction in left atrial v‐wave pressures in stenotic and regurgitant cohorts (−7 ± 11, p = 0.03, and −11 ± 12 mmHg, p < 0.01, respectively) and significant, sustained symptomatic improvement. Intracardiac pressures overall, including left ventricular end diastolic pressures, remained elevated.ConclusionDespite baseline differences in valvular disease, TMVR leads to significant hemodynamic and clinical improvement in both stenotic and regurgitant prosthetic mitral valve disease. In both cohorts, TMVR reduced intracardiac pressures to similar postprocedural levels, but pressures remained supranormal. This outcome suggests a multifactorial process defines the pathophysiology of patients undergoing TMVR, including contributions from prosthetic degeneration, changes in left atrial compliance, and diastolic dysfunction, and highlights the need to consider such factors in patient evaluation and treatment.

AbstractLeft ventricular pseudoaneurysm is an infrequent but potentially fatal complication following cardiac surgery, with spontaneous rupture being the most feared result. Moreover, surgical repair is associated with significant morbidity and mortality. We present a successful transapical percutaneous closure of a post‐surgical rapidly expanding left ventricular outflow tract (LVOT) pseudoaneurysm utilizing Amplatz Vascular Plug‐II (AVP‐II) (St. Jude Medical, St. Paul, MN) with the aid of 3D prototyping for pre‐procedural planning.

AbstractBackgroundTreatment of hemodynamically significant mitral annular calcification (MAC) using transcatheter approaches is in the early learning phase. The occurrence of paravalvular leak (PVL) following transcatheter mitral valve in MAC is common.AimsTo report the initial experience and techniques of percutaneous PVL closure after transcatheter valve in MAC.MethodsThis series includes five consecutive patients who underwent percutaneous PVL closure following transcatheter balloon expandable SAPIEN S3 valve in MAC.ResultsMean patient age was 73.6 ± 5.4 years (4 [80%] female), with average Society of Thoracic Surgeons score of 8.1 ± 2.8%. Three patients had a single PVL defect while two patients had two defects; all were located at the commissural sites. Closure was performed primarily for heart failure in four patients and hemolytic anemia in one patient. Transfemoral transseptal antegrade approach and Amplatz Vascular Plug (AVP)‐II occluders were utilized in all patients. Procedure success was achieved in three patients. One patient developed significant occluder related leaflet impingement and subsequent severe prosthetic mitral regurgitation requiring a second transcatheter mitral valve in valve implantation. The procedure was aborted in one patient due to difficulty crossing PVL defect after balloon post‐dilatation of SAPIEN prosthesis with 10 mL of additional volume. There was no in hospital or 30 day mortality or the need for emergent surgery.ConclusionEarly experience with percutaneous PVL closure of SAPIEN valve in MAC demonstrated feasibility of this approach. Careful procedure planning and monitoring for SAPIEN prosthesis leaflet impingement and frame instability is of utmost importance to increase the chances of procedural success.