Interatrial defect sizing by intracardiac and transesophageal echocardiography compared with fluoroscopic measurements in patients undergoing percutaneous transcatheter closure

Intracardiac vs. transesophageal echocardiography for guiding transcatheter closure of interatrial communications: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Background

Transcatheter closure of atrial septal defect (ASD) and patent foramen ovale (PFO) is an established practice, and it requires monitoring and guidance. Both transoesophageal echocardiography (TEE) and intracardiac echocardiography (ICE) can be used as guidance tools. However, the use of ICE and TEE in structural heart disease is controversial and the advantages and disadvantages of both for ASD and PFO closure need to be investigated. We did a systematic review and meta-analysis to compare the efficacy and safety of TEE and ICE for guiding transcatheter closure of ASD and PFO.

Methods

A systematic search of Embase, PubMed, Cochrane library, Web of Science was conducted from inception to May 2022. The outcomes of this study included average time for both fluoroscopy and the procedure, complete closure, length of stay at hospital and adverse events. This study was performed using mean difference (MD), relative risk (RR) and 95% confidence interval (CI).

Results

The meta-analysis was conducted with a total of 11 studies, involving 4,748 patients were included in meta-analysis, including 2,386 patients in the ICE group and 2,362 patients in the TEE group. The results of the meta-analysis showed that compared with TEE, ICE was shorter in time both fluoroscopy [MD: -3.72 (95%CI: -4.09 to -3.34) minutes, P < 0.00001] and the procedure [MD: -6.43 (95%CI: -7.65 to -5.21) minutes, P < 0.00001], shorter length of stay at hospital [MD = -0.95 (95% CI = -1.21 to -0.69) days, P < 0.00001], lower incidence of adverse events (RR = 0.72, 95%CI: 0.62 to 0.84, P < 0.0001), and the arrhythmia (RR = 0.50, 95% CI = 0.27 to 0.94, P = 0.03) and vascular complications (RR = 0.52, 95%CI = 0.29 to 0.92, P = 0.02) in ICE group were lower than those in TEE group. No significant difference in complete closure was found between ICE and TEE (RR = 1.00, 95% CI = 0.98 to 1.03, P = 0.74).

Conclusion

Under the premise of ensuring successful rate of complete closure, ICE can shorten time between fluoroscopy and procedure and length of stay at hospital, and there was no increase in adverse events. However, more high-quality studies are needed to confirm the benefits of using ICE in ASD and PFO closure.

Physical exercise-induced adult neurogenesis: a good strategy to prevent cognitive decline in neurodegenerative diseases?

Cumulative evidence has indicated that there is an important role for adult hippocampal neurogenesis in cognitive function. With the increasing prevalence of cognitive decline associated with neurodegenerative diseases among the ageing population, physical exercise, a potent enhancer of adult hippocampal neurogenesis, has emerged as a potential preventative strategy/treatment to reduce cognitive decline. Here we review the functional role of adult hippocampal neurogenesis in learning and memory, and how this form of structural plasticity is altered in neurodegenerative diseases known to involve cognitive impairment. We further discuss how physical exercise may contribute to cognitive improvement in the ageing brain by preserving adult neurogenesis, and review the recent approaches for measuring changes in neurogenesis in the live human brain.

Five-year follow-up of transcatheter intracardiac echocardiography-assisted closure of interatrial shunts

OBJECTIVE

We sought to prospectively evaluate long-term follow-up results of intracardiac echocardiography-aided transcatheter closure of interatrial shunts in adults.

BACKGROUND

Intracardiac echocardiography improves the safety and effectiveness of transcatheter device-based closure of interatrial shunts, but its impact on long-term follow-up is unknown.

METHODS

Over a 5-year period, we prospectively enrolled 258 consecutive patients (mean age 48 ± 19.1 years, 169 females) who had been referred to our centre for catheter-based closure of interatrial shunts. All patients were screened with transesophageal echocardiography before the operation. Eligible patients underwent intracardiac echocardiography study and attempted closure.

RESULTS

After intracardiac echocardiography study and measurements, 18 patients did not proceed to transcatheter closure due to unsuitable rims, atrial myxoma not diagnosed by preoperative transesophageal echocardiography or inaccurate transesophageal echocardiography measurement of defects more than 40 mm. The remaining 240 patients underwent transcatheter closure: transesophageal echocardiography-planned device type and size were modified in 108 patients (45%). Rates of procedural success, predischarge occlusion and complication were 100%, 94.2% and 5%, respectively. On mean follow-up of 65 ± 15.3 months, the follow-up occlusion rate was 96.5%. There were no cases of aortic/atrial erosion, device thrombosis or atrioventricular valve inferences.

CONCLUSIONS

Intracardiac echocardiography-guided interatrial shunt transcatheter closure is safe and effective and appears to have excellent long-term results, potentially minimizing the complications resulting from incorrect device selection and sizing.

Sizing of atrial septal defects by intracardiac echocardiography for device closures

BACKGROUND

Transcatheter closure of a secundum atrial septal defect (ASD) has become an effective method for surgical treatment. In this study, we evaluated the feasibility and accuracy of intracardiac echocardiography (ICE) for sizing ASDs compared with conventional methods.

METHODS

Between January 2004 and December 2006, 270 patients underwent transcatheter closure of secundum ASD by using septal occluders. For 142 patients, the procedure was guided by transesophageal echocardiography (TEE), and for 128 patients by ICE. We compared the maximal diameters of the ASDs obtained during angiocardiography, transthoracic echocardiography (TTE), ICE, and TEE with balloon-stretched sizes ascertained by using a sizing plate.

RESULTS

ASD diameters measured with the sizing plate were significantly correlated with those measured with ICE (r = 0.963), TEE (r = 0.912), angiography (r = 0.88), and TTE (r = 0.85). The predicted stretched diameter of the ASDs, i.e. (nonstretched diameter measured with ICE x 1.07) + 3.23 mm, agreed well with that measured by using a sizing plate (Ri = 0.974).

CONCLUSION

ASD diameters measured with ICE correlated with sizing-plate measurements better than those determined with TEE, angiography or TTE.

Transcatheter closure of secundum atrial septal defects in adults with the Amplatzer septal occluder: Intermediate and long-term results

AIMS

Transcatheter closure of secundum atrial septal defects (ASD) with the Amplatzer septal occluder (ASO) has become a standard procedure in most pediatric and adult patients. However, data addressing success rates and outcome in adults is limited. We sought to define the safety profile of the ASO in the community setting and identify the percentage of adults with ASD amenable to percutaneous closure with the ASO.

METHODS

We performed a retrospective analysis of patients' records referred for transcatheter ASD closure from 1999 through 2005 at a single institution. Patients were evaluated with right heart catheterization and underwent closure of the ASD according to standard indications under transesophageal and fluoroscopic guidance.

RESULTS

Two hundred and seven consecutive patients were taken to the catheterization laboratory for hemodynamic evaluation and possible interventional closure of an ASD. Of those patients, 18 were excluded because the defect and the left-to-right shunt were hemodynamically insignificant (n = 7) or because there was no distinct defect, but instead a multi-perforated septum (n = 11). Nineteen cases were excluded for anatomic reasons. Of the remaining 170 patients, ASO implantation was attempted and successfully performed in 166 (83% of 200 patients with hemodynamically significant ASD). Complications occurred in 11 cases (6.5%) (device dislocation = 4, transient ST-segment elevation = 4, TIA = 1, hemoptysis = 1, pericardial effusion = 1); none of these events were associated with long-term sequelae. During a median follow-up period of 13 months (range 6-80) there were no major clinical events.

CONCLUSIONS

More than 80% of adults with a distinct, hemodynamically significant secundum ASD can be successfully treated with the ASO. The immediate success rates are excellent and follow-up data suggest that the ASO is a safe device well suited for transcatheter ASD closure.