Balloon aortic valvuloplasty: current status and future prospects

INTRODUCTION

Balloon aortic valvuloplasty (BAV) improves hemodynamic and clinical status of patients with severe aortic stenosis (AS) for a limited period of 6-12 months. However, there is a high number of procedures performed worldwide and an upward trend over the last decades.

AREAS COVERED

Epidemiology of AS and the advent of transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) contribute to the extensive referral of patients. The expansion of recommendations for TAVI has occasionally led to financial reimbursement-related problems that do not exist for BAV. BAV is indicated as a bridge to valve replacement, to decision in complex cases, and to extracardiac surgery. BAV may play a role in preparing for TAVI and optimizing procedural results. The minimalist approach and reduced complication rate make it applicable in fragile patients.

EXPERT OPINION

In the near future, BAV will continue to be a useful asset in managing patients with AS given the multiple indications, broad applicability, safety profile, low cost, and repeatability. Specific studies are necessary to explore technical solutions, stronger indications, the finest technique, and to standardize the procedural result. Pending the development of potential competitive devices, the role that BAV plays will remain closely intertwined with the one played by TAVI.

Valve-in-Valve Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement, with Present-Day Innovations and Up-to-Date Techniques

Approximately 51,000 to 65,000 surgical aortic valve replacement (SAVR) cases are performed in the United States anually. Bioprosthetic degeneration commonly occurs within 10 to 15 years, and nearly 800 redo SAVR cases occur each year. Valve-in-valve transcatheter aortic valve replacement (ViV TAVR) has emerged as a safe and effective alternative, as the Food and Drug Administration approved ViV TAVR with self-expanding transcatheter heart valve in 2015 and balloon-expandable valve in 2017 for failed surgical valves cases at high risk of reoperation. We review ViV TAVR, with specific attention to procedural planning, technical challenges, associated complications, and long-term follow-up.

Contemporary balloon aortic valvuloplasty: Changing indications and refined technique

Even if un to improve long-term prognosis, balloon aortic valvuloplasty (BAV) may be useful in selected patients with symptomatic severe aortic stenosis either as a bridge to surgical or transcatheter valve replacement (aortic valve replacement [AVR] or transcatheter aortic valve implantation [TAVI]) or as a triage strategy for patients with uncertain indications. International guidelines recommend BAV as: a "bridge" to AVR/TAVI, a "trial" in patients with undetermined symptoms, or a "bridge-to-decision" in case of comorbidities. However, in clinical practice, BAV is also used as a palliative measure to improve hemodynamics and quality of life in many patients who are excluded from AVR/TAVI. Finally, BAV is often performed during TAVI to facilitate prosthesis delivery, optimize frame expansion, or for bioprosthetic valve fracture in selected valve-in-valve procedures. Technical innovations, which allow for a mini-invasive approach via transradial access and pacing delivered through the wire, have led to a decrease in complications over time. This review focuses on contemporary BAV with a specific emphasis on new indications, innovative techniques, and specific complex patient subgroups.

Incidence of Long-Term Structural Valve Dysfunction and Bioprosthetic Valve Failure After Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement

Background Long-term data on durability of currently available transcatheter heart valves are sparse. We sought to assess the incidence of long-term (8-year) structural valve dysfunction and bioprosthetic valve failure in a cohort of patients with transcatheter aortic valve replacement ( TAVR ) who reached at least 5-year follow-up. Methods and Results Consecutive patients with at least 5-year follow-up available undergoing TAVR from June 4, 2007 to March 30, 2012 were included. Structural valve dysfunction and bioprosthetic valve failure were defined according to newly standardized European Association of Percutaneous Cardiovascular Interventions/ European Society of Cardiology/European Association for Cardio-Thoracic Surgery criteria and reported as cumulative incidence function to account for the competing risk of death. A total of 288 consecutive patients with a mean age of 80.7±5.3 years and with a mean Society of Thoracic Surgery mortality score of 8.1±5.1% were analyzed. Survival rate at 8 years was 29.8%. Mean pressure gradients decreased from 53.3±15.9 mm Hg (pre- TAVR ) to 10.5±4.5 mm Hg (in-hospital post- TAVR ) ( P<0.001). There was a small, not significant, increase in the transaortic gradient throughout follow-up. Bioprosthetic valve failure was observed in a total of 11 patients (8-year cumulative incidence function: 4.51%; 95% confidence interval , 1.95%-8.76%). Severe and moderate structural valve dysfunctions were reported in 7 patients (8-year cumulative incidence function: 2.39%; 95% confidence interval, 0.77%-5.71%) and 13 patients (8-year cumulative incidence function: 5.87%; 95% confidence interval , 3.06%-9.96%), respectively. Aortic valve reintervention (redo TAVR ) was successfully performed in 2 patients (0.7%) presenting with symptomatic severe restenosis and intraprosthetic regurgitation subsequent to endocarditis. Conclusions In an aged population of patients with symptomatic severe aortic stenosis treated with first-generation bioprostheses, TAVR was associated with a survival rate of 30% but low rates of bioprosthetic valve failure and structural valve dysfunction at 8 years.

Recent updates in transcatheter aortic valve implantation

Transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) has evolved from a challenging intervention to a standardized, simple, and streamlined procedure with over 350,000 procedures performed in over 70 countries. It is now a novel alternative to surgical aortic valve replacement in patients with intermediate surgical risk and its indications have been expanded to cohorts with bicuspid aortic valves, low surgical risk, and younger age and fewer comorbidities. Attention should be paid to further reducing remaining complications, such as paravalvular aortic regurgitation, conduction abnormalities, cardiac tamponade, and stroke. The aim of this review is to provide an overview on the rapidly changing field of TAVI treatment and to explore past achievements, current issues, and future perspectives of this treatment modality.

Optimized Screening of Coronary Artery Disease With Invasive Coronary Angiography and Ad Hoc Percutaneous Coronary Intervention During Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement

Background—

We sought to describe an optimized approach to coronary artery disease (CAD) screening and management in patients undergoing transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR).

Methods and Results—

When invasive coronary angiography showed CAD, the treatment strategy and completeness of revascularization was determined based on coronary anatomy. TAVR was performed in the same setting if percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) was uncomplicated; otherwise TAVR was postponed. A total of 604 patients undergoing CAD screening at the time of TAVR procedure were prospectively included in this study. Severe CAD was found in 136 patients (22.5%). Among patients with severe CAD, 53 patients (8.8%) underwent uncomplicated PCI. After PCI, TAVR was postponed in 2 patients (0.3%). In 83 patients (13.8%), coronary angiography showed severe CAD that was left untreated. After TAVR, all-cause and cardiovascular 30-day mortality rates were 2.4% and 1.4%, respectively. Disabling stroke, myocardial infarction, and life-threatening bleeding occurred in 0.5%, 0.8%, and 4.0% of patients, respectively. Acute kidney injury II or III rate was 3.3%. At 2 years, all-cause mortality rate was 14.1%. Disabling stroke and myocardial infarction occurred in 2.5% and 1.8% of patients, respectively. Patients undergoing TAVR and PCI in the same session had similar rate of the composite of death, disabling stroke, and myocardial infarction when compared with patients without CAD, and patients with severe CAD left untreated (TAVR+PCI: 10.4%; severe CAD left untreated: 15.4%; no-CAD: 14.8%; P =0.765).

Conclusions—

In patients undergoing TAVR, screening of CAD with invasive coronary angiography and ad hoc PCI during TAVR is feasible and was not associated with increased periprocedural risks. PCI followed by TAVR in the same session had similar outcomes than TAVR in which PCI was not performed.

Early discharge after transfemoral transcatheter aortic valve implantation

BACKGROUND

The aim of this study was to assess the feasibility and the safety of early discharge (within 72 h) after transfemoral transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) and to identify baseline features and/or peri-procedural variables, which may affect post-TAVI length-of-stay (LoS) duration.

METHODS AND RESULTS

Patients discharged within 72 h of TAVI (early discharge group) were compared with consecutive patients discharged after 3 days (late discharge group). Propensity-matched cohorts of patients with a 2:1 ratio were created to better control confounding bias. Among 465 patients, 107 (23.0%) were discharged within 3 days of the procedure. Multivariable regression analysis of unmatched patients demonstrated that baseline New York Heart Association (NYHA) class IV (OR: 0.22, 95% CI 0.05 to 0.96; p=0.045) and any bleeding (OR: 0.31, 95% CI 0.74 to 0.92; p=0.031) were less likely to be associated with early discharge after TAVI. Conversely, the year of procedure (OR: 1.66, 95% CI 1.25 to 2.20; p<0.001) and the presence of a permanent pacemaker (PPM) before TAVI (OR: 2.80, 95% CI 1.36 to 5.75; p=0.005) were associated with a higher probability of early discharge. In matched populations, patients in the early discharge group reported lower incidence of in-hospital bleeding (7.9% vs 19.4%, p=0.014), major vascular complications (2.3% vs 9.1%, p=0.038) and PPM implantation (7.9% vs18.5%, p=0.021), whereas after discharge, at 30-day, no significant differences were reported between groups in terms of death (2.2% vs 1.7%, p=0.540), bleeding (0.0% vs 1.1%, p=0.444), PPM implantation (1.1% vs 0.0%, p=0.333) and re-hospitalisation (1.1% vs 1.1%, p=1.000).

CONCLUSIONS

Early discharge (within 72 h) after transfemoral TAVI is feasible and does not seem to jeopardise the early safety of the procedure, when performed in a subset of patients selected by clinical judgement. Patients undergoing TAVI in unstable haemodynamic compensation and patients experiencing bleeding after the procedure demonstrated to be poorly suitable to this approach, whereas increasing experience in post-TAVI management was associated with a reduction of LoS.

Avoiding Coronary Occlusion and Root Rupture in TAVI - The Role of Pre-procedural Imaging and Prosthesis Selection

Coronary occlusion and rupture of the aortic root or annulus remain two major concerns of transcatheter aortic valve implantation technique. Despite their relatively low frequency they raised the interest of the scientific community as they carry an extremely poor prognosis. Prosthesis type and size selection is part of the patient selection process that allows the operator to prevent these complications. In this article, the techniques used either during pre-TAVI screening or during the procedure itself to avoid coronary occlusion and aortic rupture will be discussed.