Comparison of different resection tools for human calcified aortic valves

Transcatheter aortic valve resection: new mechanical devices

Background

To improve periprocedural outcomes of transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI), transcatheter mechanical resection devices were tested for prior ablation of the aortic cusps.

Methods

Three mechanical transcatheter resection devices were tested in a series of native porcine (n=30) and reassembled calcified human valves (n=54). The resection time, the resected valve area, the number of released cusps, and the degree of surrounding tissue damage were measured. Afterwards, postmortem transapical-transcatheter-resections of the aortic valve in two humans were performed.

Results

In the native porcine hearts, the Aesculap II device demonstrated significantly shorter resection time compared to the R&R II and the Randstad devices (6.5±2.0 vs. 28.6±24.1 vs. 23.3±14.4 sec; P=0.001). However, it created more lesions in the surrounding tissue (P=0.002). The R&R II achieved a smaller number of resected cusps than the other two devices (2.7±0.7 vs. 1.1±0.7 vs. 2.4±0.5; P<0.001, respectively). It also resected a smaller area of the aortic valve (306.5±149.2 vs. 106.7±29.6 vs. 256.8±81.3 mm2; P=0.09) but a larger mean area of the resected fragments (110.3±41.5 vs. 160.7±29.6 vs. 111.5±43.9 mm2; P=0.01). The resection of the reassembled human valves demonstrated the same results between the devices regarding resection time (P=0.001) and resected area (P=0.016), but not fragment sizes (P=0.610). Finally, transapical-transcatheter-resection of aortic valve was performed in two cadavers.

Conclusions

Transcatheter aortic valve resection is feasible with variable aortic leaflet resection times and mild risk of lesions of the surrounding tissue.