State of the Art: Transcatheter Edge-to-Edge Repair for Complex Mitral Regurgitation

Transcatheter edge-to-edge mitral valve repair has revolutionized the treatment of primary and secondary mitral regurgitation. The landmark EVEREST (Endovascular Valve Edge-to-Edge Repair Study) and COAPT (Clinical Outcomes Assessment of the MitraClip Percutaneous Therapy for High Surgical Risk Patients) trials included only clinically stable patients with favorable mitral valve anatomy for edge-to-edge repair. However, since its initial commercial approval in the United States, growing operator experience, device iterations, and improvements in intraprocedural imaging have led to an expansion in the use of transcatheter edge-to-edge repair to more complex mitral valve pathologies and clinical scenarios, many of which were previously considered contraindications for the procedure. Because patients with prohibitive surgical risk are often older and present with complex mitral valve disease, knowledge of the potential effectiveness, versatility, and technical approach to a broad range of anatomy is clinically relevant. In this review the authors examine the current experience with mitral valve transcatheter edge-to-edge repair in various pathologies and scenarios that go well beyond the EVEREST II trial inclusion criteria.

Adaptive development of concomitant secondary mitral and tricuspid regurgitation after transcatheter aortic valve replacement

AIMS

Concomitant secondary atrioventricular regurgitation is frequent in patients with severe aortic stenosis scheduled for transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR). The future implications of leaving associated valve lesions untreated after TAVR remain unknown. Aim of the present study was to characterize the evolution of concomitant secondary atrioventricular regurgitations and to evaluate their impact on long-term prognosis.

METHODS AND RESULTS

We prospectively enrolled 429 consecutive TAVR patients. All patients underwent comprehensive clinical, laboratory, and echocardiographic assessments prior to TAVR, at discharge, and yearly thereafter. All-cause mortality was chosen as primary study endpoint. At baseline, severe concomitant secondary mitral regurgitation (sMR) was present in 54 (13%) and severe concomitant secondary tricuspid regurgitation (sTR) in 75 patients (17%). After TAVR 59% of patients with severe sMR at baseline experienced sMR regression, whereas analogously sTR regressed in 43% of patients with severe sTR. Persistence of sTR and sMR were associated with excess mortality after adjustment for our bootstrap-selected confounder model with an adjusted HR of 2.44 (95% CI 1.15-5.20, P = 0.021) for sMR and of 2.09 (95% CI 1.20-3.66, P = 0.01) for sTR. Patients showing regression of atrioventricular regurgitation exhibited survival rates indistinguishable to those seen in patients without concomitant atrioventricular regurgitation (sMR: P = 0.83; sTR: P = 0.74).

CONCLUSION

Concomitant secondary atrioventricular regurgitation in patients with severe AS is a highly dynamic process with up to half of all patients showing regression of associated valvular regurgitation after TAVR and subsequent favourable post-interventional outcome. Persistent atrioventricular regurgitation is a major determinant of unfavourable outcome after TAVR and proposes a window of early sequel intervention.

Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement and Concomitant Mitral Regurgitation

Mitral regurgitation frequently coexists in patients with severe aortic stenosis. Patients with moderate to severe mitral regurgitation at the time of transcatheter aortic valve replacement are at increased risk of future adverse events. Whether concomitant mitral regurgitation is independently associated with worse outcomes after TAVR remains a matter of debate. The optimal therapeutic strategy in these patients-TAVR with evidence-based heart failure therapy, combined TAVR and transcatheter mitral valve intervention, or staged transcatheter therapies-is ill-defined, and guideline-based recommendations in patients at increased risk for open heart surgery are lacking. Hence, a thorough evaluation of the aortic and mitral valve anatomy and function, along with an in-depth assessment of the patients' baseline risk profile, provides the basis for an individualized treatment approach. The aim of this review is therefore to give an overview of the current literature on mitral regurgitation in TAVR, focusing on different diagnostic and therapeutic strategies and optimal clinical decision making.

A systematic review of reported cases of combined transcatheter aortic and mitral valve interventions

OBJECTIVES

To summarize the published data of combined transcatheter aortic and mitral valve intervention (CTAMVI).

BACKGROUND

CTAMVI, a combination of either transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) or transcatheter aortic valve-in-valve (TAViV) and transcatheter mitral valve replacement (TMVR), transcatheter mitral valve-in-valve/valve-in-ring (TMViV/ViR), or percutaneous mitral valve repair (PMVR) is an attractive alternative in high-surgical risk patients with combined aortic and mitral valve disease. However, its procedural details and clinical outcomes have not been well described.

METHODS

We performed a systematic review of all the published articles from PUBMED and EMBASE.

RESULTS

A total of 37 studies with 60 patients were included. The indication for CTAMVI was high or inoperable surgical risk and symptomatic severe aortic stenosis (92%) or severe aortic regurgitation (8%) combined with moderate to severe/severe mitral stenosis (30%) or moderate/severe mitral regurgitation (65%) or both (5%). In majority of the cases, aortic valve intervention was performed prior to the mitral valve. Mortality rate were 25% for TAVR + TMVR (range 42 days to 10 months), 17% for TAVR + TMViV/ViR (range 13 days to 6 months), 0% for TAViV + TMViV/ViR (range 6-365 days), and 15% for TAVR/ViV + PMVR (range 17 days to 419 days). Significant (more than moderate) paravalvular regurgitation post-procedure was rare.

CONCLUSIONS

CTAMVI appears to confer reasonable clinical outcome. Further large study is warranted to clarify the optimal strategy, procedural details and clinical outcomes in the future.

Mitro-aortic pathology: a point of view for a fully transcatheter staged approach

Severe aortic valve stenosis (AVS) and mitral valve regurgitation (MVR) often coexist. Although a fully percutaneous treatment for the two conditions, by means of transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) followed by MitraClip, can be appealing in selected high-risk candidates, critical and strategical reasoning should be applied. In a 3-year period we have developed a single-centre experience of 14 patients who were managed with a staged percutaneous approach to treat severe AVS and MVR. The average interval from TAVI to MitraClip repair was 101 ± 12 days. Success for TAVI was 100% and 92.9% (13/14) for MitraClip. At late follow-up, 3 patients developed MVR 3+. Estimated 1‑year survival was 66.5%. Freedom from 1‑year endpoint (death, stroke, major bleeding, myocardial infarction, and cardiac re-hospitalisation) was 57.9%.

In our view, a fully transcatheter approach for mitro-aortic pathology is feasible and should be performed only as a staged procedure in those patients that remain symptomatic, in spite of successful TAVI. It should be emphasised that although the periprocedural success rate is satisfactory, follow-up mortality and re-hospitalisation rates remain high, even at mid-term follow-up. This most probably results from the advanced clinical picture at time of referral for treatment.

Combined MitraClip implantation and left atrial appendage occlusion using the Watchman device: A case series from a referral center

INTRODUCTION

Patients referred for percutaneous transcatheter mitral valve repair using the MitraClip^® system frequently have atrial fibrillation, which imposes additional challenges due to the need for oral anticoagulation. Left atrial appendage occlusion is currently regarded as a non-inferior alternative to anticoagulation in patients with non-valvular atrial fibrillation and both high thromboembolic and bleeding risk. Considering that both MitraClip implantation and left atrial appendage occlusion are percutaneous techniques that require transseptal puncture, it is technically attractive to consider their concomitant use.

OBJECTIVES

We aim to evaluate the feasibility of a combined approach with MitraClip implantation and left atrial appendage occlusion in a single procedure.

METHODS

We report the first case series regarding this issue, discussing the specific advantages, pitfalls and technical aspects of combining these two procedures.

RESULTS

Five patients underwent left atrial appendage occlusion with the Watchman^® device followed by MitraClip implantation in the same procedure. All patients experienced significant reduction in mitral valve regurgitation of at least two grades, optimal occluder position, no associated complications and significant clinical improvement assessed by NYHA functional class (reduction of at least one functional class, with four patients in class I at one-month follow-up).

CONCLUSION

In selected patients rejected for surgical mitral valve repair, with atrial fibrillation and increased risk of bleeding and embolic events, a combined approach with MitraClip implantation and left atrial appendage occlusion in a single procedure is feasible, safe and effective.

Transcatheter Closure of Atrial Septal Defect with Attenuated Anterior Rim after Transcatheter Aortic Valve Implantation: Can It Be Carried out as a Single Procedure?

Transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) has emerged as a highly effective minimally invasive treatment for symptomatically critical aortic stenosis (AS) in patients at high or prohibitive surgical risk. We report a case of staged transcatheter management of critical AS combined with an atrial septal defect (ASD) with attenuated anterior superior rim. The clinical result of this case suggests that both procedures can be safely performed simultaneously. Therefore, combined transcatheter treatment may appear as a possible strategy in patients with concomitant cardiac conditions.

Coexisting Mitral Regurgitation Impairs Survival After Transcatheter Aortic Valve Implantation

BACKGROUND

It remains unclear whether coexisting and untreated mitral regurgitation (MR) affects survival after transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) for aortic stenosis (AS). To summarize contemporary evidence, we performed the first metaanalysis of adjusted observational studies reporting post-TAVI mortality in patients with various grades of MR.

METHODS

MEDLINE and EMBASE were searched until February 2015, with a bibliographic review of secondary sources. Eligible studies were observational studies enrolling patients undergoing TAVI for AS and reporting adjusted odds ratios (ORs), hazard ratios (HRs), or both for early (30-day or in-hospital) all-cause mortality, overall all-cause mortality, or both in patients with apparent (significant) versus unapparent (nonsignificant) MR as outcomes.

RESULTS

Sixteen eligible studies enrolling a total of 13,672 patients undergoing TAVI for AS were identified and included. Pooled analyses of eight studies (representing 9,356 patients) and 14 studies (representing 7,405 patients) respectively demonstrated a statistically significant increase in early (OR 2.17; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.50 to 3.14; p < 0.0001) and overall all-cause mortality (HR 1.81; 95% CI 1.37 to 2.40; p < 0.0001) in patients with apparent relative to unapparent MR. The exclusion of any single study from the analyses did not substantively alter the overall results of our analyses, and there was no evidence of significant publication bias.

CONCLUSIONS

Coexisting and untreated apparent (usually moderate or severe) MR appears to be associated with an increase in both early and overall mortality after TAVI for AS.

Staged total percutaneous treatment of aortic valve pathology and mitral regurgitation: institutional experience

OBJECTIVES

To summarize our single Institution experience with staged total percutaneous management of aorto-mitral pathology.

BACKGROUND

Percutaneous treatment of aortic valve stenosis (AVS) and mitral valve regurgitation (MVR) has been recently proposed for patients at high surgical risk.

METHODS

Data concerning consecutive patients undergoing percutaneous transcatheter AV implantation (TAVI) followed by MV repair with MitraClip® were prospectively collected and analyzed.

RESULTS

From January 2010 to February 2012 a total of 254 patients were referred to undergo TAVI in our Institution. Seventeen (6.7%) had preoperative severe MVR that remained unchanged after TAVI. Due to exacerbation of symptoms 12 patients were subsequently submitted to MV repair with the MitraClip® device. Mean age was 79 years (72-86 years), median Ambler score was 30.1 (17.2-42.6) and EuroSCORE 22.3 (10.2-48.6). Procedural success rate was 100%. Postprocedural hospitalization was 7.1 ± 2.7 and 4.6 ± 0.9 days after TAVI and MV repair, respectively. Six months follow-up echocardiography confirms improvement in LV-EF (37.2 ± 9.9 vs. 43.5 ± 10.7, P < 0.0001). No patient presents MVR exceeding grade I(+) or prosthetic aortic insufficiency > I grade and all patients experienced an improvement in functional status.

CONCLUSIONS

Percutaneous treatment of AVS and MVR is feasible and safe. A tailored approach should be considered to treat firstly the AVS and subsequently the MVR when severe MV dysfunction and symptoms persist. Short-term durability of this combined percutaneous approach seems encouraging and justifies the economical burden to treat patients that have no other option.