Embolic Protection with the TriGuard 3 System in Nonagenarian Patients Undergoing Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement for Severe Aortic Stenosis

Background: Transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) improves the survival and life quality of nonagenarian patients with aortic stenosis. Stroke remains one of the most worrisome complications following TAVR. Cerebral embolic protection devices (CEPDs) may reduce neurological complications after TAVR. This study evaluated the safety and efficacy of CEPDs during TAVR in nonagenarian patients. Methods: Between January 2018 and October 2021, 869 patients underwent transfemoral TAVR (TF-TAVR) at our center. Of these, 51 (5.9%) patients were older than ninety years. In 33 consecutive nonagenarian patients, TF-TAVR was implanted without CEPDs using balloon-expandable valves (BEVs) and self-expandable valves (SEVs). Eighteen consecutive nonagenarians underwent TF-TAVR using a CEPD (CP group). Follow up period was in-hospital or 30 days after the procedure, respectively. Results: Minor access site complications occurred in two patients (3.9%) and were not CEPD-associated. Postinterventional delirium occurred in nine patients (17.6%). Periprocedural minor non-disabling stroke and delirium occurred in ten patients (19.6%). Periprocedural major fatal stroke occurred in two patients in the BEV group (3.9%). Two patients in the BEV group died due to postinterventional pneumonia with sepsis. The mortality rate was 7.8%. The results did not differ between the groups. Conclusions: Age alone is no longer a contraindication for TAVR. CEPD using the Triguard 3 system in nonagenarian TAVR patients was feasible and safe and did not increase access site complications.

The Use and Outcomes of Cerebral Protection Devices for Patients Undergoing Transfemoral Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement in Clinical Practice

OBJECTIVES

This study hypothesized that cerebral protection prevents strokes in patients undergoing transfemoral transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) in clinical practice.

BACKGROUND

Preventing strokes is an important aim in TAVR procedures. Embolic protection devices may protect against cardiac embolism during TAVR, but their use and outcomes in clinical practice remain controversial.

METHODS

Isolated transfemoral TAVR procedures performed in Germany with or without cerebral protection devices were extracted from a comprehensive nationwide billing dataset.

RESULTS

A total of 41,654 TAVR procedures performed between 2015 and 2017 were analyzed. The overall share of procedures incorporating cerebral protection devices was 3.8%. Patients receiving cerebral protection devices were at increased operative risk (European System for Cardiac Operative Risk Evaluation score 13.8 vs. 14.7; p < 0.001) but of lower age (81.1 vs. 80.6 years; p = 0.001). To compare outcomes that may be related to the use of cerebral protection devices, a propensity score comparison was performed. The use of a cerebral protection device did not reduce the risk for stroke (adjusted risk difference [aRD]: +0.88%; 95% confidence interval [CI]: -0.07% to 1.83%; p = 0.069) or the risk for developing delirium (aRD: +1.31%; 95% CI: -0.28% to 2.89%; p = 0.106) as a sign of acute brain failure. Although brain damage could not be prevented, in-hospital mortality was lower in the group receiving a cerebral protection device (aRD: -0.76%; 95% CI: -1.46% to -0.06%; p = 0.034).

CONCLUSIONS

In this large national database, cerebral embolic protection devices were infrequently used during TAVR procedures. Device use was associated with lower mortality but not a reduction in stroke or delirium. Future studies are needed to confirm these findings.

Real-time observation of a high-echoic mass in the left ventricle during transcatheter aortic valve implantation: a case report

Background

Increasing number of symptomatic patients with severe aortic stenosis is treated with transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI). Stroke is one of the most serious complications of TAVI, and the majority of cerebral events in patients undergoing TAVI have an embolic origin.

Case summary

A 90-year-old female underwent trans-femoral TAVI for symptomatic severe aortic stenosis. Just before the implantation of the transcatheter heart valve (THV), transoesophageal echocardiography (TOE) showed a mobile, high-echoic mass attached to the THV, which gradually enlarged to 26 mm, then spontaneously detached from the THV and flowed up the ascending aorta, disappearing from the TOE field of. After the procedure, the patient presented with ischaemic stroke. The patient’s stroke was thought to have resulted from the embolism migrating to the distal cerebral arteries.

Discussion

The detailed images acquired with TOE during TAVI enabled the prompt identification of the unusual intracardiac mass.

Cerebral Protection Devices during Transcatheter Interventions: Indications, Benefits, and Limitations

Purpose of Review

Stroke remains a devastating complication of cardiovascular interventions. This review is going to discuss stroke rates and outcomes in different cardiovascular procedures with a highlight on the current evidence for the use of cerebral protection devices (CPD).

Recent Findings

Depending on the quality of neurological assessment, stroke occurs in up to 9.1% after TAVI, 3.9% after mitral clipping, 3.1% in LAAO patients, 0.4% after PCIs, and 1.8% after catheter ablation. CPDs are available for routine use. They are easy to use in most anatomies, feasible, and safe. Data on clinical impact and stroke reduction from RCTs are still missing.

Summary

Most evidence for the routine use of CPDs exists in TAVI patients, who are at the highest risk. The PROTECTED TAVI RCT will shed more light on the clinical impact of CPD-use in TAVI patients. In other cardiovascular procedures like mitral clipping, PCIs, and ablation, the current data do not support the routine use of CPDs in these patients.

Mid-Term Outcomes after Transapical and Transfemoral Transcatheter Aortic Valve Implantation for Aortic Stenosis and Porcelain Aorta with a Systematic Review of Transfemoral versus Transapical Approach

Background We have aimed to analyze early and mid-term outcomes of patients undergoing transapical/transfemoral transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TA-/TF-TAVI) for aortic stenosis and porcelain aorta (PAo) in our institution. Additionally, we postulated that the TA approach may be associated with a more favorable neurological outcome than the TF approach; hence, a systematic literature review was conducted.

Methods Between 2011 and 2017, 15 patients with PAo underwent TA-TAVI and 4 patients with PAo TF-TAVI at our institution. The assessment of PAo was done either intraoperatively after aborted sternotomy or via computed tomography for elective TAVI. We conducted mid-term follow-up. Furthermore, a systematic review was performed to compare the mortality and neurological outcomes of TF and TA-TAVI approaches.

Results TA/TF-TAVIs were performed with 100% device success, without paravalvular leakage ≥ 2 and without procedural death. The 30-day mortality/stroke rates were 6.6%/0% in TA-TAVI and 0%/25% in TF-TAVI, respectively. The 6-month, 1-year, and 2-year survival rates were in TA/TF-TAVI 93%/75%, 82%/66.6%, and 50%/0%, respectively.

The pooled results derived from the literature review were as follows: The prevalence of PAo in the TAVI population is 9.74%; the mean logistic EuroSCORE is 41.9% in TA-TAVI versus 16.2% in TF-TAVI; the mean 30-day mortality is 5.9% in TA-TAVI versus 6.3% in TF-TAVI, and the mean stroke is 0.8% in TA-TAVI versus 9% in TF-TAVI.

Conclusion TA-TAVI shows promising early and mid-term outcomes in patients with PAo. TF-TAVI performed in patients with PAo is likely to be associated with higher rates of stroke than TA-TAVI.