Transcatheter mitral repair and replacement: which procedure for which patient?

Transcatheter therapies for secondary mitral regurgitation in advanced heart failure: what are we aiming for?

A severe secondary mitral regurgitation (SMR) can be found in a significant portion of patients affected by advanced heart failure (AHF). Conventional therapies (optimal medical therapy, devices, surgery) present restricted clinical efficacy in this stage of the left ventricle disease which is burdened by high mortality and morbidity rates. Although the treatment of choice is represented by heart transplantation (HTx), there is an unmet need related to the limited supply of donor hearts (as opposed to the growing prevalence of AHF) and the low eligibility of highly symptomatic patients. In case of concomitant severe SMR, transcatheter mitral valve therapies (repair and replacement) may play a crucial role in this setting. While a direct prognostic improvement after correction of SMR has yet to be proved, AHF patients can benefit from the following: hemodynamic stabilization, symptomatic relief, normalization of pulmonary arterial pressures, and reduction in hospitalizations for acute heart failure. Obtaining these results may lead to the clinical consequences of reaching the HTx in good enough clinical status (bridge to heart transplantation), becoming eligible for the HTx (bridge to HTx candidacy), and being delisted for clinical improvement (bridge to recovery). Therefore, achieving traditional secondary endpoints in patients with AHF and SMR can translate into significant clinical implications.

Anatomy of a Transcatheter Mitral Valve Service

Transcatheter mitral therapies offer treatment options to selected patients who are unable to undergo open procedures due to prohibitive surgical risk. Data detailing the design and structure of transcatheter mitral services to ensure appropriate patient selection and tailored management strategies is lacking. We report our initial experience of developing and running a purpose-built transcatheter mitral service. The nature and number of referral sources, the multi-disciplinary make-up of the dedicated Mitral Heart Team and the use of integrative imaging assessment with incorporation of computational solutions are discussed. In addition, a summary of the clinical decision-making process is presented. This report sets out a framework from which future clinics can evolve to improve and streamline the delivery of transcatheter mitral therapies.

Transcatheter Mitral Valve Implantation: Current Status and Future Perspectives

Mitral transcatheter therapies represent the treatment of choice for all patients deemed unsuitable for cardiac surgery. So far, the largest clinical experience has been limited to percutaneous repair techniques. However, given the complexity and heterogeneity of mitral valve anatomy and pathology, transcatheter mitral valve implantation will widen the mitral valve therapies horizon, toward a patient-tailored approach. Current data about transcatheter mitral valve implantation is still limited and, although some data are promising, there are still some issues to be addressed. This review provides a comprehensive insight into the available devices and describes potential advantages and limitations of transcatheter mitral valve implantation.

Devices for transcatheter mitral valve repair: current technology and a glimpse into the future

Introduction: Due to a large unmet need for the treatment of mitral regurgitation, transcatheter mitral valve repair devices have emerged in the last decade as an alternative therapeutic option. Given the complexity of this disease, several device systems for transcatheter mitral valve repair have been developed and are categorized according to its mechanism of action; each device has advantages and disadvantages for certain clinical and pathophysiologic characteristics, and in order to improve outcomes, proper patient selection among other key points are fundamental.Areas covered: The purpose of this article is to review the current state-of-the-art technologies available for transcatheter mitral valve repair, patient suitability, outcomes, and future perspectives.Expert opinion: Transcatheter therapy for mitral regurgitation improves outcomes and pushes the boundaries of biomedical technology while maintaining scientific rigor for device development. Surgical and percutaneous procedures should be viewed as complements to treat a wider spectrum of patients affected by this entity. Future directions from multidisciplinary innovation and cooperation will consolidate this therapeutic option.

What Is the Next Generation of Transcatheter Mitral Valve Repair Devices?

In the evolving scenario of the transcatheter mitral valve repair (TMVr), TMVr devices constitute a rapidly expanding field. The standard classification includes edge-to-edge repair, direct annuloplasty, indirect annuloplasty, chordal/papillary muscular repair, and the others. However, the unknowns and uncertainties to innovate a high-performing device are addressed. In this viewpoint, the authors discuss the potential future of the next generation and the challenges of TMVr devices.

First in Human: Transcatheter, Transapical Double Valve Replacement

Transcatheter aortic valve replacement is a well-established therapy for severe aortic stenosis in patients with high surgical risk. Transcatheter mitral valve replacement just recently emerged as a novel modality to treat severe mitral regurgitation. We present the first case of a transcatheter, transapical native double valve replacement for severe aortic stenosis and mitral regurgitation. Our case shows that it is a safe and effective method, not requiring cardiopulmonary bypass and drastically reducing the procedural time. Therefore, patients with significant comorbidities that portend a high surgical risk with poor long-term outcome, may stand to benefit from this minimally invasive procedure.

Over 15 years: the advancement of transcatheter mitral valve repair

Patients with severe symptomatic mitral regurgitation, if left untreated, have a poor prognosis. In those patients not eligible for mitral valve (MV) surgery, percutaneous repair may improve clinical outcomes. In the past 15 years several devices have been developed to address different MV lesions. This manuscript will review the advancement of transcatheter MV repair through the years, focusing on technologies for which consistent clinical data is available.

Transcatheter mitral valve replacement

Transcatheter mitral valve (MV) repair, specifically the edge-to-edge leaflet repair, is a less invasive treatment of symptomatic mitral regurgitation (MR) in patients with high or prohibitive surgical risk. In cases with severe leaflet calcification, small mitral orifice area, and/or extremely wide regurgitation across the entire MV commissure, transcatheter MV repair may rather cause suboptimal or potentially hazardous outcomes. In these cases, MV replacement can be a more suitable option. Recently, percutaneous transcatheter MV replacement has emerged as an acceptable therapeutic option for the treatment of degenerated surgical bioprosthetic disease. Moreover, several transcatheter devices for native MV replacement are under evaluation with a hope to provide more complete and reproducible restoration of MV function. In this article, we will review current status, applications, clinical outcomes, and limitations that need to be overcome for transcatheter MV replacement for both degenerated surgical bioprosthetic disease and native MV disorders.

Management of Valvular Disease During Pregnancy: Evolving Role of Percutaneous Treatment

Valvular heart disease (VHD) is encountered in approximately 1% of pregnancies, significantly increasing both maternal and foetal risk. Rheumatic VHD remains the most common form in non-Western countries, whereas congenital heart disease dominates in the Western world. The risk of complications varies according to the type and severity of the underlying VHD. Moreover, pregnancy is a hypercoagulable state associated with increased risk of thromboembolism. The authors review the main VHDs encountered during pregnancy, and suggest management strategies based on the 2018 European Society of Cardiology recommendations for the management of pregnant women with VHD, providing an overview of classical and new transcatheter structural therapeutic options with a special focus on radiation exposure and anticoagulation drug management.