Procedural Characteristics and Outcomes of Transcatheter Interventions for Aortic Coarctation: A Report From the IMPACT Registry.

BACKGROUND: Although surgical repair was the traditional first-line treatment for native coarctation of the aorta (CoA), balloon angioplasty (BA) and stenting are now increasingly being performed. We aimed to determine the practice patterns and acute outcomes of transcatheter interventions for native coarctation in the largest multicenter registry for congenital catheterization. METHODS: CoA interventions from the IMPACT (IMproving Pediatric and Adult Congenital Treatment) National Cardiovascular Data Registry were analyzed. The procedure choice and acute outcomes were compared among patients with no prior interventions on the aortic isthmus (native CoA). Procedural success was defined as no major adverse events (MAEs) and a final peak gradient of <20 mm Hg and optimal outcome as no MAEs and a final gradient of <10 mm Hg. RESULTS: Over the 8-year study period, 5928 CoA procedures were performed, of which 1187 were performed in patients with native CoA. In this group, stenting was performed in more then half of children aged >1 year and >90% of those aged >8 years. Procedural success was achieved in >90% of stenting procedures but in only 69% of BAs. Stent implantation was associated with a higher likelihood of optimal gradient (<10 mm Hg) after adjustment for age and baseline characteristics. MAEs were most common in children aged <1 year (14%), occurred in 2% to 2.5% of those aged 1 to 18 years and in 6.6% of adults (P < .001), and were more likely after BA than after stenting (odds ratio, 0.5; 95% CI, 0.28-0.9; unadjusted P = .02). CONCLUSIONS: Catheter interventions for native coarctation are performed safely in older children and adults, with a high degree of immediate procedural success, particularly with stenting

Lead Extraction and Baffle Stenting in a Patient with Transposition of the Great Arteries.

This case report discusses a 42-year-old male with dextro-transposition of the great arteries (D-TGA) status post Mustard repair and sick sinus syndrome status post dual-chamber pacemaker implant, who developed symptomatic superior vena cava (SVC) baffle stenosis. He was treated with a combined pacemaker extraction and subsequent SVC baffle stenting. The case highlights the complexities of treating SVC baffle stenosis in the presence of cardiac implantable devices and demonstrates the efficacy of this combined approach. Furthermore, the authors delve into the intricacies of D-TGA, its surgical history, and the long-term complications associated with atrial switch procedures

The Role of Impella for Hemodynamic Support in Patients With Aortic Stenosis

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: The goal of this review is to discuss the effects of Impella (Abiomed, Danvers, MA), to support in the hemodynamics of patients with severe aortic stenosis, and to explore the clinical scenarios in which the use of Impella may be beneficial in this setting. RECENT FINDINGS: The management of patients with severe aortic stenosis who go on to develop left ventricular failure and cardiogenic shock remains an important clinical challenge associated with increased morbidity and mortality. Once considered a relative contraindication, the use of Impella in severe aortic stenosis has now been proven feasible and demonstrated promising results in selected high-risk patients. The use of Impella to provide hemodynamic support maybe considered in patients with aortic stenosis in cardiogenic shock or those with severe left ventricular dysfunction and CAD who require high-risk PCI and or balloon aortic valvuloplasty. Impella is also an attractive option in selected cases of hemodynamic collapse during TAVR

Coarctation of the Aorta: Management, Indications for Intervention, and Advances in Care

Opinion statement Coarctation of the aorta (CoAo) accounts for 9 % of congenital heart defects. Balloon angioplasty has been the conventional endovascular treatment of choice for both native and recurrent coarctation in adults. Recent advancement in stent technology with the development of the covered stents has enhanced the scope for percutaneous management of both native CoAo and post-surgical CoAo. Stent implantation provides better hemodynamic results with larger acute diameter gain and better long-term hemodynamic benefit. Stenting also decreases the incidence of aneurysm formation. The development of biodegradable stents may revolutionize the percutaneous management of coarctation, as the degradation of the stent scaffold within 6 months of implantation will further decrease the incidence of restenosis. In the future stenting may suffice and obviate the need for open repair. Until then, surgical repair of CoAo is the preferred method in both infants and complicated lesions, leaving stenting to adults with focal and uncomplicated disease

Residual Shunt After Patent Foramen Ovale Closure and Long-Term Stroke Recurrence: A Prospective Cohort Study.

BackgroundResidual shunt is observed in up to 25% of patients after patent foramen ovale (PFO) closure, but its long-term influence on stroke recurrence currently is unknown.ObjectiveTo investigate the association of residual shunt after PFO closure with the incidence of recurrent stroke and transient ischemic attack (TIA).DesignProspective cohort study comparing stroke or TIA recurrence in patients with and without residual shunt after PFO closure.SettingSingle hospital center.Participants1078 consecutive patients (mean age, 49.3 years) with PFO-attributable cryptogenic stroke who were undergoing percutaneous PFO closure were followed for up to 11 years.MeasurementsResidual shunt was evaluated by transthoracic echocardiography with saline contrast. Primary outcome was a composite of the first recurrent ischemic stroke or TIA after PFO closure.ResultsCompared with complete closure, the presence of residual shunt after PFO closure was associated with an increased incidence of recurrent stroke or TIA: 2.32 versus 0.75 events per 100 patient-years (hazard ratio [HR], 3.05 [95% CI, 1.65 to 5.62]; P < 0.001). This result remained robust after adjustment for important covariates, namely age; study period; device; presence of atrial septal aneurysm, hypertension, hyperlipidemia, diabetes, hypercoagulability, or hypermobile septum; and medication use (HR, 3.01 [CI, 1.59 to 5.69]; P < 0.001). Further stratification based on shunt size revealed that moderate or large residual shunts were associated with a higher risk for stroke or TIA recurrence (HR, 4.50 [CI, 2.20 to 9.20]; P < 0.001); the result for small residual shunts was indeterminate (HR, 2.02 [CI, 0.87 to 4.69]; P = 0.102).LimitationNonrandomized study with potential unmeasured confounding.ConclusionAmong patients undergoing PFO closure to prevent future stroke, the presence of residual shunt, particularly a moderate or large residual shunt, was associated with an increased risk for stroke or TIA recurrence.Primary funding sourceNational Institutes of Health

Ventricular Septal Defect Complicating ST-Elevation Myocardial Infarctions: A Call for Action

BACKGROUND: Ventricular septal defect is a lethal complication after an acute myocardial infarction, which has become infrequent with the advent of reperfusion strategies; however, it remains a major contributor to mortality. METHODS: We identified patients using the International Classification of Diseases, 9th Revision, Clinical Modification procedure codes from the Nationwide Inpatient Sample between the years 2001 and 2013. A multivariate hierarchical logistic regression model was used to identify significant predictors of in-hospital mortality. RESULTS: We identified 3,373,206 ST-elevation myocardial infarctions, out of which 10,012 (0.3%) were complicated with ventricular septal defects. Most of the patients (60%) were older than 65 years, male (55%), and white (63%). Inferior (49.7%) and anterior (41.1%) myocardial infarctions were more commonly implicated with the development of ventricular septal defects. The median (interquartile range) hospitalization length was 7 (3.0-13.5) days. Only 7.65% of patients underwent some intervention, with 7% surgical and 0.65% minimally invasive. Mechanical support devices were used in 36.5% of patients, with intra-aortic balloon pump (96%) being the most common. In-hospital mortality remained high at 30.5% (downward trending from 41.6% in 2001 to 23.3% in 2013). Age, cardiogenic shock, and in-hospital cardiac arrest were statistically significant predictors of in-hospital mortality. The utilization of corrective procedures significantly declined. The use of mechanical support devices and performing a corrective procedure were associated with higher mortality, length of stay, and cost. CONCLUSIONS: Ventricular septal defects after acute myocardial infarctions remain associated with significantly high mortality rates. Highly specialized regional centers with individual expertise in the management of septal ruptures are required to improve outcomes of these patients

Comparison of Outcomes of Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement Plus Percutaneous Coronary Intervention Versus Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement Alone in the United States

Transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) with percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) has emerged as a less-invasive therapeutic option for high surgical risk patients with aortic stenosis and coronary artery disease. The aim of this study was to determine the outcomes of TAVR when performed with PCI during the same hospitalization. We identified patients using the International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision, Clinical Modification procedure codes from the Nationwide Inpatient Sample between the years 2011 and 2013. A total of 22,344 TAVRs were performed between 2011 and 2013. Of these, 21,736 (97.3%) were performed without PCI (TAVR group) while 608 (2.7%) along with PCI (TAVR + PCI group). Among the TAVR + PCI group, 69.7% of the patients had single-vessel, 22.2% had 2-vessel, and 1.6% had 3-vessel PCI. Drug-eluting stents were more commonly used than bare-metal stents (72% vs 28%). TAVR + PCI group witnessed significantly higher rates of mortality (10.7% vs 4.6%) and complications: vascular injury requiring surgery (8.2% vs 4.2%), cardiac (25.4% vs 18.6%), respiratory (24.6% vs 16.1%), and infectious (10.7% vs 3.3%),

Outcomes of transcatheter and surgical aortic valve replacement in high-risk patients with aortic stenosis and left ventricular dysfunction : results from the placement of aortic transcatheter valves (PARTNER) trial (cohort A).

BACKGROUND: The Placement of Aortic Transcatheter Valves (PARTNER) trial demonstrated similar survival after transcatheter and surgical aortic valve replacement (TAVR and SAVR, respectively) in high-risk patients with symptomatic, severe aortic stenosis. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of left ventricular (LV) dysfunction on clinical outcomes after TAVR and SAVR and the impact of aortic valve replacement technique on LV function. METHODS AND RESULTS: The PARTNER trial randomized high-risk patients with severe aortic stenosis to TAVR or SAVR. Patients were stratified by the presence of LV ejection fraction (LVEF) <50%. All-cause mortality was similar for TAVR and SAVR at 30-days and 1 year regardless of baseline LV function and valve replacement technique. In patients with LV dysfunction, mean LVEF increased from 35.7±8.5% to 48.6±11.3% (P<0.0001) 1 year after TAVR and from 38.0±8.0% to 50.1±10.8% after SAVR (P<0.0001). Higher baseline LVEF (odds ratio, 0.90 [95% confidence interval, 0.86, 0.95]; P<0.0001) and previous permanent pacemaker (odds ratio, 0.34 [95% confidence interval, 0.15, 0.81]) were independently associated with reduced likelihood of =10% absolute LVEF improvement by 30 days; higher mean aortic valve gradient was associated with increased odds of LVEF improvement (odds ratio, 1.04 per 1 mm Hg [95% confidence interval, 1.01, 1.08]). Failure to improve LVEF by 30 days was associated with adverse 1-year outcomes after TAVR but not SAVR. CONCLUSIONS: In high-risk patients with severe aortic stenosis and LV dysfunction, mortality rates and LV functional recovery were comparable between valve replacement techniques. TAVR is a feasible alternative for patients with symptomatic severe aortic stenosis and LV dysfunction who are at high risk for SAVR

Transcatheter aortic valve replacement and standard therapy in inoperable patients with aortic stenosis and low EF.

OBJECTIVES: The aims of this study were to evaluate the effect of left ventricular (LV) dysfunction on clinical outcomes after transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) and standard therapy for severe aortic stenosis (AS) and to assess LV ejection fraction (LVEF) recovery and its impact on subsequent clinical outcomes. METHODS: Cohort B of the Placement of AoRtic TraNscathetER Valves trial randomised 342 inoperable patients with severe AS to TAVR or standard therapy. We defined LV dysfunction as an LVEF <50% and LVEF improvement as an absolute increase in LVEF =10% at 30 days. RESULTS: Baseline LV dysfunction did not affect survival after TAVR but was associated with increased cardiac mortality at 1 year with standard therapy (59.3% vs 45.8% with normal LVEF; HR=1.71 (95% CI 1.08 to 2.71); p=0.02). In those with LV dysfunction, LVEF improvement occurred in 48.7% and 30.4% of TAVR and standard therapy patients, respectively (p=0.08), and was independently predicted by relative wall thickness and receipt of TAVR. LVEF improvement with standard therapy portended reduced all-cause mortality at 1 year (28.6% vs 65.6% without LVEF improvement; HR=0.32 (95% CI 0.11 to 0.93); p=0.03) but not at 2 years. CONCLUSIONS: In inoperable patients with severe AS, mild-to-moderate LV dysfunction is associated with higher cardiac mortality with standard therapy but not TAVR. A subset of patients undergoing standard therapy with LV dysfunction demonstrates LVEF improvement and favourable 1-year but not 2-year survival. TAVR improves survival and should be considered the standard of care for inoperable patients with AS and LVEF >20%