Expert Opinion: Guidelines for the Management of Patients with Aortic Stenosis Undergoing Non-cardiac Surgery: Out of Date and Overly Prescriptive

Balloon Aortic Valvuloplasty in the Modern Era: A Review of Outcomes, Indications, and Technical Advances

Balloon aortic valvuloplasty (BAV) improves the hemodynamics and symptoms of patients with severe aortic stenosis in the short term with low rates of complications, but has not been shown to be an effective destination therapy. Our pooled analysis of >14,300 patients from studies published between January 1, 1991, and April 31, 2022, reported intraprocedural mortality and in-hospital mortality rates as 1.94% (95% CI, 1.39%-2.59%) and 6.02% (95% CI, 4.83%-7.32%), respectively. Hence, BAV is primarily indicated as a bridge to aortic valve replacement/decision with secondary uses as bridge to noncardiac surgery and palliative therapy. Recent advancements in alternative access sites, balloon catheters, and lithotripsy for BAV have opened opportunities for expanded use and further improvements in complication rates. As the utilization of BAV has continually increased since the advent of transcatheter aortic valve replacement, reexamining the role and outcomes of BAV in the era of transcatheter aortic valve replacement has become increasingly important. This review focuses on the outcomes, indications, advances, and technical considerations for BAV.

Management of concurrent aortic stenosis and pheochromocytoma

A man in his mid 60s with known aortic stenosis developed progressive symptoms. Echocardiography confirmed severe calcific aortic stenosis. Further evaluation revealed an elevated white blood cell count leading to a diagnosis of chronic lymphocytic leukaemia. CT of the abdomen revealed a left adrenal mass, confirmed by MRI. 24-hour urine catecholamines were elevated, confirming the diagnosis of a pheochromocytoma.

This case was complicated by the concurrent aortic stenosis and pheochromocytoma, requiring considerable multidisciplinary teamwork to develop a safe management strategy. A decision to perform a transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) with alpha and beta blockade with monitored anaesthesia care followed by laparoscopic adrenalectomy and postoperative haemodynamic control was made. A successful TAVR procedure was performed, complicated only by postoperative transient atrial tachycardia followed 6 weeks later by a laparoscopic robotic-assisted left adrenalectomy. The patient recovered fully and was discharged 2 days later.

Uncovering the treatable burden of severe aortic stenosis in Australia: current and future projections within an ageing population

BACKGROUND

We aimed to address the paucity of information describing the treatable burden of disease associated with severe aortic stenosis (AS) within Australia's ageing population.

METHODS

A contemporary model of the population prevalence of symptomatic, severe AS and treatment pathways in Europe and North America was applied to the 2019 Australian population aged ≥ 55 years (7 million people) on an age-specific basis. Applying Australian-specific data, these estimates were used to further calculate the total number of associated deaths and incident cases of severe AS per annum.

RESULTS

Based on an overall point prevalence of 1.48 % among those aged ≥ 55 years, we estimate that a minimum of 97,000 Australians are living with severe AS. With a 2-fold increased risk of mortality without undergoing aortic valve replacement (AVR), more than half of these individuals (∼56,000) will die within 5-years. From a clinical management perspective, among those with concurrent symptoms (68.3 %, 66,500 [95 % CI 59,000-74,000] cases) more than half (58.4 %, 38,800 [95 % CI 35,700 - 42,000] cases) would be potentially considered for surgical AVR (SAVR) - comprising 2,400, 5,400 and 31,000 cases assessed as high-, medium- or low peri-operative mortality risk, respectively. A further 17,000/27,700 (41.6 % [95 % CI 11,600 - 22,600]) of such individuals would be potentially considered to a transthoracic AVR (TAVR). During the subsequent 5-year period (2020-2024), each year, we estimate an additional 9,300 Australians aged ≥ 60 years will subsequently develop severe AS (6,300 of whom will experience concurrent symptoms). Of these symptomatic cases, an estimated 3,700 and 1,600 cases/annum, will be potentially suitable for SAVR and TAVR, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

These data suggest there is likely to be a substantive burden of individuals living with severe AS in Australia. Many of these cases may not have been diagnosed and/or received appropriate treatment (based on the evidence-based application of SAVR and TAVR) to reduce their high-risk of subsequent mortality.