Problems encountered with catheter balloon valvuloplasty of bioprosthetic aortic valves

Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement for Degenerative Bioprosthetic Surgical Valves

Background—

Transcatheter aortic valve-in-valve implantation is an emerging therapeutic alternative for patients with a failed surgical bioprosthesis and may obviate the need for reoperation. We evaluated the clinical results of this technique using a large, worldwide registry.

Methods and Results—

The Global Valve-in-Valve Registry included 202 patients with degenerated bioprosthetic valves (aged 77.7±10.4 years; 52.5% men) from 38 cardiac centers. Bioprosthesis mode of failure was stenosis (n=85; 42%), regurgitation (n=68; 34%), or combined stenosis and regurgitation (n=49; 24%). Implanted devices included CoreValve (n=124) and Edwards SAPIEN (n=78). Procedural success was achieved in 93.1% of cases. Adverse procedural outcomes included initial device malposition in 15.3% of cases and ostial coronary obstruction in 3.5%. After the procedure, valve maximum/mean gradients were 28.4±14.1/15.9±8.6 mm Hg, and 95% of patients had ≤+1 degree of aortic regurgitation. At 30-day follow-up, all-cause mortality was 8.4%, and 84.1% of patients were at New York Heart Association functional class I/II. One-year follow-up was obtained in 87 patients, with 85.8% survival of treated patients.

Conclusions—

The valve-in-valve procedure is clinically effective in the vast majority of patients with degenerated bioprosthetic valves. Safety and efficacy concerns include device malposition, ostial coronary obstruction, and high gradients after the procedure.

Is there a role for balloon valvuloplasty in patients with stenotic aortic bioprosthetic valves?

The management of patients with stenotic aortic bioprostheses is usually surgical. However, a proportion of such patients are unfit for such procedures. The technique of aortic balloon valvuloplasty as an alternative treatment strategy for such patients is explored.

Independent predictors of immediate results of percutaneous balloon aortic valvotomy in children. Valvuloplasty and Angioplasty of Congenital Anomalies (VACA) Registry Investigators

Smaller patient series have not explored the independent relations between patient selection and technical factors that may impact on acute results of percutaneous balloon aortic valvotomy. To determine such relations, results from the Valvuloplasty and Angioplasty of Congenital Anomalies Registry were examined from 630 balloon aortic valvotomies in 606 patients from 23 institutions. Median age was 6.8 years (range 1 day to 18 years). The procedure could not be performed or completed in 4.1%. The left ventricular to aortic gradient was reduced by a mean +/- SD of 60 +/- 23% (p < 0.0001). Procedure-related mortality was 1.9%. A suboptimal outcome was defined arbitrarily as failure to perform the procedure, a residual gradient > or = 60 mm Hg or LV: aortic pressure ratio > or = 1.6, or major morbidity or mortality, and was noted for 17% of procedures. Independent risk factors from multiple logistic regression analyses included age < 3 months, higher preprocedure gradient, earlier procedure date, the presence of unrepaired aortic coarctation, and the use of undersized balloons. Detailed analysis revealed the optimal balloon: valve diameter ratio to be 0.9 to 1.0, with undersized balloons resulting in significant residual obstruction and oversized balloons resulting in aortic regurgitation complications. Improvements in results over time were related to increasing experience within individual institutions. Thus, percutaneous balloon aortic valvotomy provides adequate relief of obstruction, with minimal complications in most patients.

Percutaneous double balloon valvotomy for bioprosthetic tricuspid stenosis

We report two cases of percutaneous balloon valvotomy of porcine tricuspid valves and review the brief literature. Both procedures were successful, but "restenosis" resulted in tricuspid valve replacement in patient 2. The explanted valve showed leaflet thickening and calcified cuspal nodules. Patient 1 is improved 10 months later.

Percutaneous double balloon valvuloplasty for stenosis of porcine bioprostheses in the tricuspid valve position: a report of 2 cases

The feasibility and results of percutaneous double balloon valvuloplasty were evaluated in 2 patients with stenosis of porcine bioprostheses in the tricuspid valve position. The procedures were performed with a Trefoil 3 x 10 and a 15 mm balloon. Long inflations (4 and 3 minutes) were well tolerated. A significant immediate increase in the valve area, without significant valvular regurgitation, was achieved in both cases, from 0.65 to 1.15 cm2 in case 1 and from 0.9 to 1.65 cm2 in case 2. Both patients required valve replacement during the follow-up, at 14 and 21 months. There was no restenosis, but echocardiography showed right atrial thrombosis in case 1. Progressive restenosis with peripheral edema and increase of the mean doppler gradient occurred in case 2. The procedure is feasible, safe, and well tolerated. It provides significant immediate hemodynamic improvement, but it should be considered as a palliative technique since a normal valve area can not usually be obtained and a restenosis is likely to occur at midterm follow-up.

Cardiovascular implant calcification: a survey and update

Calcification of cardiovascular prosthetic implants is a common and important problem. This review provides an update based upon the Conference on Cardiovascular Implant Calcification held as part of the 13th World Congress of the International Society for Heart Research, 1989. A variety of cardiovascular prostheses are affected clinically by calcification, including bioprosthetic heart valves, aortic homografts and trileaflet polymeric valve prostheses. In addition, experimental studies have demonstrated calcification of artificial heart devices in ventricular assist systems in long-term calf studies. The pathophysiology of this disease process is incompletely understood. A common element between the various types of cardiovascular implant calcification is the localization of calcific deposits to devitalized cells and membranous debris. Prevention of cardiovascular implant calcification by either biomaterial modifications or regional drug therapy (controlled release) is being investigated.

Catheter balloon valvuloplasty of stenotic porcine bioprosthetic valves: Part II: Mechanisms, complications, and recommendations for clinical use

During the last several years dilating balloons have been applied in the treatment of stenotic cardiac valves. This interest has been extended to stenotic porcine bioprosthetic valves. Part I of this review discusses the pathologic changes producing stenotic porcine prosthetic valves. Part II of this review describes an in vitro study of porcine prosthetic valve valvuloplasty defining the mechanisms, complications, and clinical applications. Results of this study indicate a limited and cautious role in balloon dilation of stenotic bioprosthetic valves.

Balloon valvuloplasty for fungal endocarditis induced stenosis of a bioprosthetic tricuspid valve

Palliative treatment was provided without complications by double balloon valvuloplasty of a stenotic porcine tricuspid valve in a patient with fungal endocarditis. With two 15 mm diameter valvulotomy balloons the peak tricuspid gradient decreased from 21 to 7 mm Hg and valve area increased from 0.3 to 1.2 cm2. After the procedure the patient clinically improved; however, valve replacement was not performed as planned because the patient developed an intracranial hemorrhage. She subsequently died of complications of fungemia. The present report demonstrates the possible use of valvuloplasty as a palliative procedure in selected patients with valvular stenosis involved with endocarditis.

Balloon aortic valvuloplasty in children

The technique of balloon aortic valvuloplasty has been used in infants, children, and adults since its first description in 1983. Immediate results reported by several workers and intermediate-term results by a few workers appear encouraging. Complications are minimal although potential for arterial complications and aortic insufficiency should be recognized. Significant restenosis rates at intermediate-term follow-up have been reported and could be minimized by reducing the risk factors associated with recurrence. Echo-Doppler studies are useful in follow-up evaluation of balloon valvuloplasty. The results seem to compare favorably with those following surgical valvotomy. The indications are essentially the same as those used for surgery; a gradient in excess of 80 mmHg irrespective of symptoms or a gradient greater than or equal to 50 mmHg with symptoms or ST-T wave changes. Previous surgical valvotomy is not a contraindication for balloon valvuloplasty. The technique is applicable to subaortic membranous stenosis as well. Thus far only one- to two-year follow-up results are available. Five- to ten-year follow-up results to document long-term effectiveness of balloon aortic valvuloplasty are needed. Miniaturization of currently bulky dilating catheter systems and improving rapidity of inflation/deflation of balloons are necessary to increase safety and effectiveness of these techniques in infants and children. Meticulous attention to the details of the technique and further refinement of the procedure may further increase effectiveness and reduce the complication rate.

Percutaneous double-balloon valvuloplasty of porcine bioprosthetic valves in the tricuspid position

This is a description of the first two reported cases of double-balloon valvuloplasty in the treatment of porcine bioprosthetic valve stenosis in the tricuspid position. In both cases, the double-balloon technique resulted in a better hemodynamic improvement than single-balloon valvuloplasty and was well tolerated. Double-balloon valvuloplasty is a reasonable alternative to surgical replacement of a stenotic bioprosthesis in the tricuspid position.

Percutaneous balloon valvuloplasty of a stenosed mitral bioprosthesis

A 62-year-old woman with disabling mitral prosthetic stenosis underwent percutaneous balloon valvuloplasty. The transvalvular gradient preoperatively was 22 mm Hg and was reduced to 6 mm Hg after the valvuloplasty. the valve area was increased from an initial value of 0.77 cm2 to 1.53 cm2. No complications occurred related to the Further studies are necessary to ascertain the indications and long-term results of percutaneous valvuloplasty on bioprosthesis in the mitral position.

Balloon pulmonary valvuloplasty: a review

Balloon pulmonary valvuloplasty has been used successfully over the last few years for the relief of moderate to severe valvar pulmonic stenosis in neonates, infants, children, and adults. Both immediate and intermediate term follow-up results have been well documented by cardiac catheterization studies. Electrocardiographic and echo-Doppler evaluation at follow-up is reflective of the results and may avoid the need for recatheterization. The results of balloon valvuloplasty are either comparable to or better than those reported with surgical valvuloplasty. The causes of restenosis have been identified, and appropriate modifications in the technique, particularly the recommended use of a balloon/annulus ratio of 1.2 to 1.5, should give better results than previously documented. Complications of the procedure have been minimal. Further refinement of the catheters and technique may reduce the complication rate even further. The indications for balloon valvuloplasty have not been clearly defined but should probably be similar to those used for surgical valvotomy; only patients with moderate to severe valvar pulmonic stenosis are candidates for balloon valvuloplasty. Previous surgery and pulmonary valve dysplasia are not contraindications for balloon valvuloplasty. The procedure is also applicable to pulmonary stenosis associated with other complex cardiac defects and stenosis of bioprosthetic valves in pulmonary position. Miniaturatization of balloon/catheter systems to further reduce the complication rate and documentation of favorable result at 5- to 10-year follow-up are necessary.

Balloon dilatation of a stenosed bioprosthesis in the tricuspid valve position

Percutaneous balloon dilatation of a stenosed Ionescu-Shiley bioprosthesis in the tricuspid valve position was performed twice in a 19 year old woman. On each occasion there was a considerable improvement in symptoms and haemodynamic function but the effect lasted for only a few months. When the valve was excised it showed no evidence of the previous balloon dilatations.

Balloon dilatation of stenotic right ventricle-to-pulmonary artery conduits

In seven children with obstructed right ventricle-to-pulmonary artery conduits, balloon dilatation (BD) was performed 10-58 months after insertion of the conduit. Average valve gradient was reduced from 69 to 32 mmHg. Obstruction at the conduit-branch pulmonary artery connection became apparent after dilatation of the valve; these distal stenoses also were dilated. It is concluded that the useful lifetime of a right ventricle (RV) to pulmonary artery (PA) conduit may be extended by BD of an obstructed biological valve and/or BD of a stenotic conduit-pulmonary artery anastomosis.