Transcatheter aortic valve replacement with a focus on transcarotid: a review of the current literature

Transcarotid versus trans-axillary/subclavian transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR): A systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement (TAVR) is the treatment of choice in patients with severe aortic stenosis. Transcarotid (TCa) or Trans-axillary/subclavian (TAx/Sc) are safer and less invasive non-femoral approaches, where transfemoral access is difficult or impossible to obtain.

METHODS

This meta-analysis was performed based on PRISMA guidelines after registering in PROSPERO (CRD42023482842). This meta-analysis was performed to compare the safety of the transcarotid and trans-axillary/subclavian approach for TAVR including studies from inception to October 2023.

RESULTS

Seven studies with a total of 6227 patients were included in the analysis (TCa: 2566; TAx/Sc: 3661). Transcarotid TAVR approach had a favorable trend for composite of stroke and all-cause mortality (OR 0.79, CI 0.60-1.04), all-cause mortality, stroke, major vascular complication, and new requirement of permanent pacemaker though those were statistically insignificant. On sub-analysis of the results of the studies based on the territory (USA vs French), composite outcome of all cause mortality, stroke and major bleeding (OR 0.54, CI 0.54-0.81), composite of stroke and all cause mortality (OR 0.64, CI 0.50-0.81), and stroke/TIA (OR 0.53, CI 0.39-0.73) showed lower odds of occurrence among patient managed with TCa approach in the American cohort.

CONCLUSION

Overall, transcarotid approach had favorable though statistically insignificant odds for composite (stroke and all-cause mortality) and individual outcomes (stroke, all-cause mortality, etc.). There are significant variations in observed outcomes based on study's geographic location. Large prospective randomized clinical trials comparing the two approaches with representative samples are necessary to guide the clinicians in choosing among these approaches.

Association Between Peripheral Versus Central Access for Alternative Access Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement and Mortality and Stroke: A Report From the Society of Thoracic Surgeons/American College of Cardiology Transcatheter Valve Therapy Registry

BACKGROUND

In some patients, the alternative access route for transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) is utilized because the conventional transfemoral approach is not felt to be either feasible or optimal. However, accurate prognostication of patient risks is not well established. This study examines the associations between peripheral (transsubclavian/transaxillary, and transcarotid) versus central access (transapical and transaortic) in alternative access TAVR and 30-day and 1-year end points of mortality and stroke for all valve platforms.

METHODS

Using data from The Society of Thoracic Surgeons/American College of Cardiology Transcatheter Valve Therapy Registry with linkage to Medicare claims, patients who underwent alternative access TAVR from June 1, 2015 to June 30, 2018 were identified. Adjusted and unadjusted Cox proportional hazards modeling were performed to determine the association between alternate access TAVR site and 30-day and 1-year end points of mortality and stroke.

RESULTS

Of 7187 alternative access TAVR patients, 3725 (52%) had peripheral access and 3462 (48%) had central access. All-cause mortality was significantly lower in peripheral access versus central access group at in-hospital and 1 year (2.9% versus 6.3% and 20.3% versus 26.6%, respectively), but stroke rates were higher (5.0% versus 2.8% and 7.3% versus 5.5%, respectively; all P<0.001). These results persisted after 1-year adjustment (death adjusted hazard ratio, 0.72 [95% CI, 0.62-0.85] and stroke adjusted hazard ratio, 2.92 [95% CI, 2.21-3.85]). When broken down by individual subtypes, compared with transaxillary/subclavian access patients, transapical, and transaortic access patients had higher all-cause mortality but less stroke (P<0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

In this real-world, contemporary, nationally representative benchmarking study of alternate access TAVR sites, peripheral access was associated with favorable mortality and morbidity outcomes compared with central access, at the expense of higher stroke. These findings may allow for accurate prognostication of risk for patient counseling and decision-making for the heart team with regard to alternative access TAVR.

Advances in technology and techniques for transcatheter aortic valve replacement with concomitant peripheral arterial disease

Aortic stenosis (AS) is a prevalent disease affecting 3.7% of the adult population aged 65 or above. In the past, surgical aortic valve replacement (SAVR) was the only definitive therapy available for the treatment of severe AS. Owing to the invasive nature of open-heart surgery, patients with advanced age and frailty could not benefit from SAVR. The advent of transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) in the past decade has offered an alternative treatment option for patients with severe AS, particularly those who are deemed to have high surgical risks. Nevertheless, a large proportion of patients also have concomitant peripheral arterial disease (PAD), which increases the risk of peri-procedural vascular complication, and precludes the possibility of transfemoral TAVR owing to inadequate luminal size for delivery system deployment. In this review, the prevalence and outcome of TAVR patients with PAD will be discussed. Furthermore, novel technologies and techniques that enable TAVR to be safely performed using transfemoral or alternative access in patients with severe PAD will be reviewed.

Imaging Modalities Employed in the TAVR Procedure With a Focus on CTA: What the Radiologist Needs to Know

RATIONALE AND OBJECTIVES

Aortic stenosis (AS) is one of the most common valvular heart disease. Symptomatic AS is associated with a high mortality rate which prompts fast intervention. The introduction of transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) has drastically improved the outcome of high surgical risk for mortality patients with severe AS. However, this procedure requires the employment of multimodality imaging in the pre-procedural planning, intra-procedural optimization, and post-procedural follow-up stages. This also requires an accurate understanding of the indications, measurements, strength, and limitations of each imaging modality during the different TAVR stages.

CONCLUSION

In this review, we aim to outline to radiologists the evidence-based approach and indications of different imaging modalities through the pre, peri, and post TAVR stages.

Shockwave and Non-transfemoral Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement

Transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) has become a widely adopted treatment modality for severe aortic stenosis. Transfemoral access is the approach of choice; however, approximately 25% of patients undergoing TAVR also have concomitant peripheral arterial disease. The recent advent of intravascular lithotripsy has enabled preservation of transfemoral access in some patients; although, a proportion still require alternative, non-femoral access. Alternative access sites can be broadly categorized into transthoracic and peripheral, facilitated by surgical or percutaneous techniques. In this review, the technical details and clinical outcomes of various TAVR accesses are discussed. Initially, transthoracic approaches were most common, but recently, the trend has been toward alternative peripheral access due to superior outcomes. Although there are no randomized data to support all the alternative access sites, the experiences reported provide available options for a large portion of patients to be candidates for TAVR. The intervention site should be selected by a multidisciplinary heart team based on patient anatomical factors and institutional expertise.

Anesthesia for minimally invasive cardiac surgery

Due to its potential benefits and increased patient satisfaction minimal invasive cardiac surgery (MICS) is rapidly gaining in popularity. These procedures are not without challenges and require careful planning, pre-operative patient assessment and excellent intraoperative communication. Assessment of patient suitability for MICS by a multi-disciplinary team during pre-operative workup is desirable. MICS requires additional skills that many might not consider to be part of the standard cardiac anesthetic toolkit. Anesthetists involved in MICS need not only be highly skilled in performing transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) but need to be proficient in multimodal analgesia, including locoregional or neuroaxial techniques. MICS procedures tend to cause more postoperative pain than standard median sternotomies do, and patients need analgesic management more in keeping with thoracic operations. Ultrasound guided peripheral regional anesthesia techniques like serratus anterior block can offer an advantage over neuroaxial techniques in patients on anti-platelet therapy or anticoagulation with low molecular weight or unfractionated heparin The article reviews the salient points pertaining to pre-operative assessment and suitability, intraoperative process and postoperative management of minimally invasive cardiac procedures in the operating theatre as well as the catheterization lab. Special emphasis is given to anesthetic management and analgesia techniques.

Update on Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement

Transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) is a minimally invasive approach to treat symptomatic severe aortic stenosis. The patient populations that have been shown to benefit from this procedure continue to grow with time. Techniques and technology in TAVR persistently advance with a continued trend toward improved outcomes for patients. In this review, we highlight the advances in vascular access, TAVR valve design, progress in reducing procedural complications, and emerging evidence in the field.

Therapeutic strategies for thrombosis: new targets and approaches

Antiplatelet agents and anticoagulants are a mainstay for the prevention and treatment of thrombosis. However, despite advances in antithrombotic therapy, a fundamental challenge is the side effect of bleeding. Improved understanding of the mechanisms of haemostasis and thrombosis has revealed new targets for attenuating thrombosis with the potential for less bleeding, including glycoprotein VI on platelets and factor XIa of the coagulation system. The efficacy and safety of new agents are currently being evaluated in phase III trials. This Review provides an overview of haemostasis and thrombosis, details the current landscape of antithrombotic agents, addresses challenges with preventing thromboembolic events in patients at high risk and describes the emerging therapeutic strategies that may break the inexorable link between antithrombotic therapy and bleeding risk.