Advances in percutaneous valvular intervention

The Use of Short Dilator Tip in Endovascular Branched Arch Repair: A Case Series

OBJECTIVES

The aim of the study was to investigate the safety and feasibility of branched endovascular arch repair (b-TEVAR) with a custom-made double or triple inner branched arch endograft using a short dilator tip (35 mm) in patients with aortic arch pathologies.

METHODS

Retrospective analysis of all consecutive patients undergoing b-TEVAR with a short dilator tip for the treatment of aortic arch pathologies in a high-volume tertiary center between January 2019 and July 2023. The combined primary endpoint was technical success and perioperative complications caused by the endograft, including tip-induced cardiac injury and trackability issues. Secondary endpoints were major adverse events (MAE), including morbidity, mortality, and reinterventions within 30 days.

RESULTS

During a 4-year period, 22 patients (median age 72 years, 16 males) were treated with a custom-made double or triple inner-branched TEVAR for different aortic arch pathologies using a short dilator tip (35 mm). After initial exclusive treatment of patients with previous valve replacement, the use of a short dilator tip became standard. Eighteen patients received a triple- and 4 patients received a double-branched endograft. Seventeen patients (77.3%) underwent elective treatment, while 5 patients underwent urgent repair due to contained rupture or symptomatic aneurysms. The technical success was 100%. No tip-induced cardiac mortality and morbidity occurred perioperatively. The trackability of the device was in no case affected by the short tip. Within 30 days, the MAE rate was 45%, including one death. No re-intervention had to be performed.

CONCLUSION

Endovascular aortic arch repair with inner-branched arch endografts using a short dilator tip (35 mm) appears to be safe and technically feasible and could potentially reduce the risk of fatal myocardial injuries.

CLINICAL IMPACT

Due to safe and stable maneuverability and deployment of endograft in zone 0 the use of short dilator tip might have the potential to become standard in endovascular branched arch repair. This is one of the first reports on the use of short dilator tip and associated complications in endovascular branched arch repair.

Intramural hematoma in the proximal sealing zone of the thoracic endovascular aneurysm repair: frequency and safety in acute and subacute type B dissections

Introduction

To assess the outcomes after thoracic endovascular aneurysm repair (TEVAR) in the presence of intramural hematoma (IMH) in the proximal sealing zone.

Material and methods

Patient data were retrospectively extracted from the hospital records of patients treated with TEVAR for acute and chronic aortic dissection type B in one single center. The initial, preoperative, first postoperative, and last follow-up CT scans were evaluated in the aortic 3D multiplanar reformats and the centerline regarding IMH presence in the proximal sealing zone, anatomical preconditions, and the morphological TEVAR complications including migration and bird-beak. Groups with (IMH) and without IMH (no-IMH) were compared.

Results

Overall, 84 patients (IMH:42; no-IMH:42) were treated at the age of 63(55; 72) years, of whom 23/84 (27%), 34/84 (40%), and 27/84 (32%) were in the hyperacute, acute and subacute dissection phases, respectively. The bovine arch was found in 10/84(12%) and the type III arch was most common (43/84;51%). IMH maximum extent was found in zones 0, 1, 2, and 3 in 14/84 (17%), 17/84 (20%), 18/84 (21%), and 6/84 (7%), respectively. Sealing was achieved in zone II in 71/84 (85%) and LSA was revascularized in 66/84 (79%) of the overall cohort. Early mortality and paraplegia were 2/84 (2%) each; stroke rate was 3/84 (4%). During the 22 months median follow-up (22;4;43) no RTAD was observed. Migration ≥10 mm (IMH: 11/82; no-IMH: 10/82; P = 1.0) and bird-beaks (IMH: 10/82; no-IMH: 12/82; P = 0.8036) were comparable in both groups and accompanied by a low aorta related mortality (1/82) in both groups.

Conclusion

The presence of the IMH in the proximal TEVAR sealing zone is frequent and may not be relevant for the occurrence of the RTAD, stent-graft migration, or bird-beak formation.

Longitudinal morphological changes of the aorta and the endograft position before and after distal stent graft-induced new entry in aortic dissections

OBJECTIVES

The aim of this study was to assess the endograft position and aortic geometry changes after thoracic endovascular aortic repair (TEVAR) and frozen elephant trunk (FET) in distal stent-induced new entry (dSINE) patients.

METHODS

In this retrospective cohort study, the baseline demographic and the follow-up data were extracted from the hospital records, and computed tomography scans of dSINE patients after TEVAR or FET between 2011 and 2021 were analysed regarding endograft oversizing, length and migration, taper ratio, aortic diameter at the endograft end, aortic elongation (thoracic inner and outer curvature), wedge apposition angle and tortuosity angle in the distal landing zone.

RESULTS

dSINE was found in 22/213 (10%) of TEVAR and 10/31 (32%) of FET patients. The total follow-up time was 45 (27; 59) months. TEVAR was mainly performed with Relay NBS endograft (77%) and FET with Evita open prosthesis (80%). Paraplegia and stroke rates were 3%. dSINE occurred 17 (7; 35) months post-TEVAR and was instantly treated in 18 patients (56%) or followed up for 21 (11; 34) months (n = 14). Migration [+5 mm (1; 11; P < 0.001)], birdbeak angle [+9° (0; 27; P = 0.039)] and aortic diameter +5 mm (1; 11; P < 0.001) increased after dSINE, whereas aortic elongation increased already before [+12 mm (0; 27; P = 0.015)] and peaked after dSINE [+30 mm (9; 38; P < 0.001)]. The aortic elongation was more pronounced in the outer aortic curvature before and after dSINE (before: P = 0.039, after: P = 0.024). Postoperative wedge apposition [17° (12; 20)] increased before dSINE [21° (16; 35; P < 0.001)] and peaked thereafter [31° (21; 40; P < 0.001)].

CONCLUSIONS

Aortic elongation may influence the endograft position and provoke TEVAR failure in the distal and proximal landing zones.

Perceval S, sutureless aortic valve: cost-consequence analysis

INTRODUCTION

Sutureless aortic valve prostheses have the potential of shortening ischemic time.

AIM

We conducted the present study to assess the clinical and economic impact of the biological, sutureless, self-expanding Perceval S valve since the effect of shortened operative times on hospital costs remains unclear.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

This is a retrospective analysis. From January 2018 to January 2019, 29 patients underwent isolated aortic valve replacement with the Crown PRT bioprosthetic Aortic Valve, whereas 35 patients underwent aortic valve replacement with Perceval S (auto-expanded, sutureless, bioprosthesis). Preoperative data, hospital outcome, and health care resource consumption were compared, using χ2 and t-test.

RESULTS

Aortic cross-clamp, cardiopulmonary bypass, and operation times were significantly shorter in the Perceval S group (p < 0.001). Patients in the sutureless group required blood transfusion less frequently (p = 0.03) and had a shorter intensive care unit (ICU) stay (p = 0.01). Hospital stay (p = 0.57) and pacemaker implantation were similar between groups. The reduction of aortic cross-clamp, extracorporeal circulation times, and ICU stay resulted in reduced resource consumption in the sutureless group.

CONCLUSIONS

The use of the Perceval S valve is clinically safe and effective. A shorter procedural time in the sutureless group is associated with better clinical outcomes and reduced hospital costs.

Outcomes of urgent aortic wrapping for acute type A aortic dissection

OBJECTIVE

Standard surgical repair of acute type A aortic dissection is associated with high mortality rates, especially in high-risk patients. In an attempt to improve survival in frail patients, we evaluated the outcomes after ascending aorta wrapping in a high-risk patient cohort.

METHODS

This single-center retrospective cohort study included all consecutive patients treated using ascending aorta wrapping for an acute type A aortic dissection from 2008 to 2019. The primary end points included 30-day mortality, survival during follow-up, and dissection-related mortality. Secondary end points included assessment of aortic remodeling after ascending aorta wrapping. Patients with an aortic anatomy suitable for adjunctive endografting of the ascending aorta were also identified.

RESULTS

Thirty-five consecutive patients who underwent ascending aorta wrapping were included. Their median age was 77 years (range, 46-96 years). The 30-day all-cause mortality rate was 9%. Major complications occurred in 7 patients (21%), including early reinterventions in 11 (31%). Median follow-up was 36 months (range, 2.4-106.6; interquartile range, 72). The actuarial survival at 36 months was 82%. The dissection-related mortality was 11.4%. The median aortic growth of the nonwrapped descending thoracic aorta was 3.4 mm. Computed tomography scan analysis depicted that 88% of survivors were theoretical candidates for an additional endovascular procedure to exclude the primary entry tear.

CONCLUSIONS

Aortic wrapping is associated with favorable early outcomes and a low rate of aortic events during follow-up. This therapeutic option should be considered for patients considered too fragile for standard surgical repair.

Device Conformability and Morphological Assessment After TEVAR for Aortic Type B Dissection: A Single-Centre Experience with a Conformable Thoracic Stent-Graft Design

Background

The aim of this study was to analyze device conformability in TEVAR of acute and chronic (a/c) type B aortic dissections (TBAD) using the Gore Conformable Thoracic Aortic Stent-graft (CTAG).

Material/Methods

From January 1997 to February 2014, a total of 90 out of 405 patients in our center received TEVAR for TBAD. Since November 2009, 23 patients (16 men; median age: 62 years) were treated with the CTAG. Indications were complicated aTBAD in 15 (65%) and expanding cTBAD in 8 (35%) patients. Primary endpoints were the assessment of device conformability by measuring the distance (D) from the radiopaque gold band marker (GM) at the proximal CTAG end to the inner curvature (IC) of the arch on parasagittal multiplanar reformations of CT angiography, as well as the evaluation of aortic diameter changes following TEVAR. Median follow-up was 13.3 months (range: 2 days to 35 months).

Results

Primary and secondary success rates were 91.3% (21/23) and 95.6% (22/23), respectively. There was 1 type Ia endoleak, retrograde dissection or primary conversion was not observed. Median GM-IC-D was 0 mm (range: 0 mm to 10 mm). GM-IC-D was associated with zone 2 placement compared to zone 3 (P=0.036). There was no association between GM-IC-D formation and arch type. In aTBAD cases the true lumen significantly increased after TEVAR (P=0.017) and the false lumen underwent shrinkage (P=0.025). In cTBAD patients the false lumen decreased after TEVAR (P=0.036).

Conclusions

The CTAG shows favorable conformability and wall apposition in challenging arch pathologies such as TBAD.

Emerging approaches of transcatheter valve repair/insertion

Aortic stenosis (AS) and mitral regurgitation (MR) account for the majority of valvular diseases and their prevalence is increasing according to increased life expectancy. Surgical treatment is the gold standard, although operative risk may be high in some patients due to comorbidities and age. A large part of the patients at high surgical risk who could beneficiate of treatment are not referred to surgery. Therefore, there is a need of alternative and less invasive procedures.

In Vivo Analysis of the Anatomical Relationship of Coronary Sinus to Mitral Annulus and Left Circumflex Coronary Artery Using Cardiac Multidetector Computed Tomography

OBJECTIVES

We sought to determine the in vivo anatomical relationships between mitral annulus (MA) and coronary sinus (CS) as well as CS and left circumflex coronary artery using cardiac computed tomography.

BACKGROUND

Percutaneous treatment of mitral regurgitation (MR) by annuloplasty via CS is under development. Success of such treatment depends on the close anatomical proximity of the MA to the CS. The in vivo data regarding this anatomical relationship in humans are scant. We investigated this relationship using contrast multidetector computed tomography.

METHODS

We studied 25 normal individuals and 11 patients with severe MR (3 to 4+) due to mitral valve prolapse. Separation between MA and CS was measured in standard planes, in 4-chamber (4C), 2-chamber (2C), and 3-chamber views. Distance from ostium of CS to the intersection with left circumflex (LCX), and anatomical relation of LCX and CS were determined using 3-dimensional mapping (Philips Brilliance, Philips Medical Systems, Amsterdam, the Netherlands).

RESULTS

There was significant variance of CS to MA separation at all planes. Separation of CS and MA was increased in lateral location (4C) and decreased in posterior location (2C) in the MR group with increase in MA size. Left circumflex artery crossed between CS and MA in 80% of patients. The LCX crossed CS at a variable distance from the ostium of CS (86.5 +/- 21 mm, range 37 to 123 mm)

CONCLUSIONS

There is significant variability in the relation of CS to MA in humans. Coronary sinus to MA distance increases in patients with severe MR and annular dilation, mainly in the posterolateral location. The left circumflex crosses under the CS the majority of times, but with a significant variability in the location where it crosses the CS. These anatomical features should be taken into consideration while selecting percutaneous treatment strategies for mitral valve repair.