Bioprosthetic Valve Fracture After TAVR Complicated by Balloon Rupture: Bail-Out TAVR in TAVR in SAVR

Transcatheter aortic valve replacement in surgical aortic valve is a safe and effective procedure to treat patients with failed bioprosthetic surgical valves at high risk for reoperation. Performing bioprosthetic valve fracture has been shown to improve postprocedural hemodynamics of TAVR in surgical aortic valve replacement. However, specific complications related to valve fracture are becoming more common. (Level of Difficulty: Advanced.)

Pituitary function and morphology in Fabry disease.

Endocrine abnormalities are known to affect patients with Fabry disease (FD). Pituitary gland theoretically represents an ideal target for FD because of high vascularization and low proliferation rate. We explored pituitary morphology and function in a cohort of FD patients through a prospectic, monocentric study at an Academic Tertiary Center. The study population included 28 FD patients and 42 sex and age-matched normal subjects. The protocol included a contrast enhancement pituitary MRI, the assessment of pituitary hormones, anti-pituitary, and anti-hypothalamus antibodies. At pituitary MRI, an empty sella was found in 11 (39%) FD patients, and in 2 (5%) controls (p < 0.001). Pituitary volume was significantly smaller in FD than in controls (p < 0.001). Determinants of pituitary volume were age and alpha-galactosidase enzyme activity. Both parameters resulted independently correlated at multivariate analysis. Pituitary function was substantially preserved in FD patients. Empty sella is a common finding in patients with FD. The major prevalence in the elderly supports the hypothesis of a progressive pituitary shrinkage overtime. Pituitary function seems not to be impaired in FD. An endocrine workup with pituitary hormone assessment should be periodically performed in FD patients, who are already at risk of cardiovascular complications

Evolving Routine Standards in Invasive Hemodynamic Assessment of Coronary Stenosis: The Nationwide Italian SICI-GISE Cross-Sectional ERIS Study

Objectives: The aims of the ERIS (Evolving Routine Standards of FFR Use) study are to describe the current use of invasive coronary physiology assessment and discern the reasons for its nonuse in daily practice. Background: Adoption of coronary physiology guidance in the catheterization laboratory varies among countries, centers, and operators. Methods: ERIS is an investigator-driven, nationwide, prospective, cross-sectional study involving 76 Italian catheterization laboratories. Each center had a 60-day window to include consecutive cases that fulfilled the inclusion and exclusion criteria. Two pre-specified groups were enrolled: 1) patients who had operators apply fractional flow reserve or instantaneous wave-free ratio assessment (physiology assessment group); and 2) patients who had operators decide not to perform fractional flow reserve or instantaneous wave-free ratio assessment, although the patients met the inclusion and exclusion criteria (visual estimation group). Results: Overall, 1,858 cases were included (physiology assessment group, n = 1,177; visual estimation group, n = 681). Physiology-based guidance was used in 7% and 13% of the total volume of angiographic and percutaneous coronary interventions, respectively. Its use was in line with European and American guidelines in 48% of the cases (n = 569). Physiology guidance was used in a consistent number of patients with acute coronary syndromes (n = 529 [45%]). The main reason for not using physiology guidance was the operator's confidence that clinical and angiographic data alone were sufficient. Conclusions: Use of coronary physiology assessment in daily practice meets the current guideline indications in approximately 50% of cases. The major limiting factor for the adoption of physiology guidance was the operator's confidence in visual assessment alone. (Evolving Routine Standards of FFR Use [ERIS]; NCT03082989

Safety and feasibility of balloon aortic valvuloplasty in non-TAVI centers: The “BAV for life” experience

Objectives: To evaluate the safety and the feasibility of balloon aortic valvuloplasty (BAV) procedure made by trained operators in centers not performing transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI). Background: BAV is a valuable therapeutic tool for patients with symptomatic severe aortic valve stenosis (AS) at prohibitive risk for TAVI or surgery. Methods: Consecutive high-risk AS patients underwent BAV in five non-TAVI centers, where BAV operators had completed a 6-month training period in high-volume TAVI centers (Group A). All clinical, echocardiographic, and procedural data were prospectively collected and compared with data of patients treated in TAVI center (Group B). Results: Between June 2016 and June 2017, 55 patients (83.9 ± 7.0 years) were enrolled: 25 in Group A and 30 in Group B. After BAV, a substantial reduction of the peak-to-peak aortic valve gradient was obtained in both groups (−35.3 ± 15.2 vs −28.8 ± 13.9 mmHg, P =0.25). No major bleeding or vascular complications occurred. In-hospital death was observed in three patients of Group A and two patients of Group B (P =0.493). The mean follow-up time was 303 ± 188 days; no patients were lost. The 1-year survival free from overall death (Group A 75.8% vs Group B 68.8%; P =0.682) and heart failure rehospitalization (Group A 73.0% vs Group B 66.8%; P =0.687) was similar in the two groups. At multivariable analysis, low left ventricular (LV) ejection fraction (HR: 0.943; P = 0.011) and cardiogenic shock (HR: 5.128; P = 0.002) at admission were independent predictors of mortality. Conclusions: BAV is a safe and effective procedure that can be performed by trained operators in centers not performing TAVI