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An 83-year-old woman presented with progressive dyspnea. She underwent an edge-to-edge mitral repair with the MitraClip-NTR system (Abbott Vascular, Santa Clara, California) for severe mitral regurgitation (MR) that was caused by posterior leaflet prolapse ([Figures 1A to 1C][1]) with calcification

Objectives This study aimed to identify how accurately the current clinical atrial fibrillation (AF) classifications reflect its temporal persistence. Background Clinical classification of AF is employed to communicate its persistence, to select appropriate therapies, and as inclusion criterion for clinical trials. Methods Cardiac rhythm histories of 1,195 patients (age 73.0 ± 10.1 years, follow-up: 349 ± 40 days) with implantable devices were reconstructed and analyzed. Patients were classified as having paroxysmal or persistent AF by physicians at baseline in accordance with current guidelines. AF burden, measured as the proportion of time spent in AF, was obtained from the device. Additionally we evaluated the agreement between clinical and device-derived AF classifications. Results Patients within the same clinical class were highly heterogeneous with regards to AF temporal persistence. Agreement between the clinical AF classification and the objective device-derived assessments of AF temporal persistence was poor (Cohen's kappa: 0.12 [95% CI: 0.05 to 0.18]). Patient characteristics influenced the clinical decision to classify AF as paroxysmal or persistent. Higher ejection fraction (odds ratio: 0.97/per unit [95% CI: 0.95 to 0.98/per unit]; p < 0.0001) and presence of coronary artery disease (odds ratio: 0.53 [95% CI: 0.32 to 0.88]; p = 0.01) were independently associated with a lower probability of being classified as persistent AF for the same AF burden level. Conclusions The currently used clinical AF classifications poorly reflect AF temporal persistence. Patient characteristics significantly influence the physician's classification of AF. Patients classified in identical clinical categories may be inherently heterogeneous with regard to AF temporal persistence. Further study is required to determine if patient selection on the basis of objective criteria derived from rigorous AF monitoring can improve reported outcomes and better identify responders and non-responders to treatments. (OMNI Study–Assessing Therapies in Medtronic Pacemaker, Defibrillator, and Cardiac Resynchronization Therapy Devices; [NCT00277524][1]; TRENDS: A Prospective Study of the Clinical Significance of Atrial Arrhythmias Detected by Implanted Device Diagnostics; [NCT00279981][2]) [1]: http://www.clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT00277524?term=NCT00277524%26rank=1 [2]: http://www.clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT00279981?term=NCT00279981%26rank=1

Objective To define the function of the "Ross valves" and its clinical meaning in a practical valve performance classification as part of the outcome analysis. Methods From 1994 to 2017, 630 consecutive patients underwent the subcoronary Ross procedure at our institution. The valve performance classification combines hemodynamics, symptoms, and management criteria. Median follow-up was 12.5 years (maximum 22.3 years, 7404 patient-years, 99.4% completeness). Results The mean age of the patients was 44.7 ± 11.9 years. Hospital deaths was 0.3% (n = 2). Twenty years after the operation survival was 73.1% (95% confidence interval [CI], 65.4%-81.6%) and statistically not different from the age- and gender-matched general population; freedom from reoperation was 85.9% (95% CI, 80.2%-92.0%; 0.6% per patient-year), 89.8% (95% CI, 84.3%-95.7%) for autograft, and 91.0% (95% CI, 86.3%-96.0%) for homograft. Preoperative annulus diameter, aortic regurgitation, annulus reinforcement, sinotubular junction reinforcement, and bicuspid aortic valve type were no significant risk factors for reoperation. At 20 years the probability of a patient being in valve performance class I to IV was 5%, 74%, 19%, and 1%, respectively. Time to reoperation was not different in bicuspid and tricuspid aortic valves; preoperative aortic stenosis tended to have better outcome of autograft function. Conclusions These up to 22 years data show that the subcoronary Ross procedure continues to provide an excellent tissue aortic valve replacement. The suggested valve performance classification emerged as a practical concept for outcome analysis with the probability of 79% being in the favorable class I or II at 20 years.

Apoptosis of vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) is involved in bicuspid aortic valve (BAV) ascending aorta aneurysms characteristically affecting the convex site. Caspase-3 is a pivotal effector of the apoptosis machinery. The aim of this study was to investigate the impact of an inhibited caspase-3 pathway on apoptosis in convex and concave sites VSMCs of ascending aortic tissue in vitro. Specimens from the convex and concave sites of ascending aortic aneurysm were collected from nine patients with BAV (mean age 58.7+/-14.8). Cultured VSMCs were characterized morphologically and immunohistochemically. Apoptosis activity was measured in VSMCs using Annexin V-APC with propidium iodide nuclear staining in flow cytometry. To investigate apoptotic modulation, caspase-3 was inhibited by N-acetyl-Asp-Glu-Val-Asp-CHO (Ac-DEVD-CHO). Apoptosis was initiated by calcium chloride. Inhibition of caspase-3 with Ac-DEVD-CHO protected VSMCs against calcium chloride apoptosis significantly more in the concave site than in the convex site (25.8+/-9.8 versus 38.5+/-8.0% apoptotic cells, p=0.01). Morphological scanning using light microscopy revealed typical VSMCs. We provide evidence that VSMCs show a different behavior with respect to apoptosis in the concave versus the convex sites in BAV ascending aortic aneurysm. Inhibition of caspase-3 resulted in a significantly increased protection of VSMCs against apoptosis in the concave site compared with the convex site in ascending aortic aneurysm in BAV. These findings may have some implications on understanding aneurysmal formation and its potential modulation.

This study aims to fine-tune the decision making for ascending aorta treatment in bicuspid aortic valve surgery.A total of 1693 patients with a primary indication for aortic valve surgery were investigated retrospectively with respect to a multifactorial decision-making policy including the z score and the clinical outcome in relation to different techniques for ascending aorta treatment (no intervention n = 1116; intervention n = 577 either by ascending aorta replacement n = 404 or aortoplasty n = 173). Follow-up was 99.5% complete (mean 7.0 ± 4.4 years, range 0-17.7 years, 11,895 patient-years).Hospital mortality was 1.2% for the no-intervention group and 0.9% for the intervention group and was not different between groups (P = .629). Survival compared with the adjusted normal population was lower for both groups (no intervention: P .001) but not by such a great margin for the intervention group (P = .27). Determinants for death were not related to the ascending aorta treatment. Aortoplasty led to significantly more reoperations (P = .002). The z score thresholds for intervention on the ascending aorta were greater for younger patients, intervention was more liberal in young age, depicted in nomograms.In our study, ascending aorta intervention could be performed with low hospital mortality and obviously did not add to the overall mortality compared with no intervention. Ascending aorta replacement was the most definite intervention. The multifactorial decision for ascending aorta intervention including the z score of the ascending aorta was more liberal in younger patients compared to the simple aortic size guidelines and provided excellent results. However, generalizability needs further data.

The CircuLite Synergy Pocket Micro-pump (CircuLite Inc, Saddle Brook, NJ) is a small (AA battery-sized) blood pump that is implanted with an off-pump, right-sided minithoracotomy procedure. The inflow cannula consists of silicon reinforced with nitinol, with a length of 20.5 cm and an inner diameter of 6 mm, and has a Dacron (DuPont, Wilmington, DE) cuff on the tip made of titanium. The inflow cannula is implanted in the left atrium between the insertions of the right upper and lower pulmonary veins in a Seldinger technique and secured with 2 pursestring sutures. The proximal end of the inflow cannula is tunneled through the second intercostal space to exit the thorax in the area of the sub-cutaneous pocket. The inflow cannula is connected the pump, and a polytetrafluoroethylene outflow graft is anastomosed to the subclavian artery. The first implantation was performed in 2008. Indications for implantation were patients with heart failure who did not require full left ventricular assist device (LVAD) support. Several studies showed the clinical benefit of partial cardiac support, with maximal achievable flow of up to 3 liters/min. Conformite Europeene Mark approval for this device was obtained in Europe in September 2012. In August 2013, CircuLite received a Synergy implantation stop order due to breaks in the inflow cannula, close to the connection to the pump. Some of these pumps had to be explanted for this reason. Other reasons were pump thrombosis or cardiac recovery. The inflow cannula is left in place during most explants. However, after more than 100 implantations worldwide, we are concerned regarding the explantation of the pump without removal of the inflow cannula.