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RESUMEN La tomografía computarizada es una técnica no invasiva, de gran resolución espacial, con excelente definición del calcio y del espacio intravascular al emplear medios de contraste, que brinda la posibilidad de realizar tanto mediciones como simulaciones virtuales de intervencionismo coronario y estructural. Se ha establecido como la técnica de referencia en la selección de pacientes y la planificación de procedimientos de intervencionismo transcatéter coronario y estructural en diferentes escenarios (implante percutáneo de válvula aórtica, cierre percutáneo de orejuela izquierda, reemplazo de válvula mitral transcatéter y reemplazo de válvula tricúspide transcatéter). El presente trabajo revisa el papel de la tomografía computarizada en el intervencionismo cardiaco coronario y estructural.

ABSTRACT Computed tomography is a noninvasive imaging technique with high spatial resolution, providing excellent definition of calcium and intravascular space through the use of contrast media. This imaging modality allows both highly accurate measurements and virtual simulations for preprocedural planning in coronary and structural heart disease interventions. Computed tomography is currently the gold standard technique for patient selection and preprocedural planning in numerous scenarios, such as transcatheter aortic valve implantation, left atrial appendage occlusion, transcatheter mitral valve repair, and transcatheter tricuspid valve repair. This article reviews the role of computed tomography in transcatheter coronary and structural heart disease interventions.

An 83-year-old woman was admitted to our center because of heart failure. Transthoracic echocardiography revealed severe mitral annular calcification resulting in a double mitral valve lesion. After discussion by the heart team, transcatheter mitral valve replacement with Tendyne (Abbott Structural, Santa Clara, CA, USA) was performed. Despite having a predicted neo-left ventricular outflow tract (LVOT) above the cut-off value, the patient developed clinically significant LVOT obstruction (LVOTO) refractory to medical treatment. This situation is often treated before the intervention, and dealing with LVOTO afterward can be challenging. After taking the patient's anatomy into consideration, we decided to perform alcohol septal ablation. Applying a combined strategy of medical treatment and intervention led to success. In this case report, we discuss this event and the strategies available for preventing and managing the condition.

Aortic stenosis (AS) is the most prevalent degenerative valvular disease in western countries. Transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) is considered, nowadays, to be the main imaging technique for the work-up of AS due to high availability, safety, low cost, and excellent capacity to evaluate aortic valve (AV) morphology and function. Despite the diagnosis of AS being considered straightforward for a very long time, based on high gradients and reduced aortic valve area (AVA), many patients with AS represent a real dilemma for cardiologist. On the one hand, the acoustic window may be inadequate and the TTE limited in some cases. On the other hand, a growing body of evidence shows that patients with low gradients (due to systolic dysfunction, concentric hypertrophy or coexistence of another valve disease such as mitral stenosis or regurgitation) may develop severe AS (low-flow low-gradient severe AS) with a similar or even worse prognosis. The use of complementary imaging techniques such as transesophageal echocardiography (TEE), multidetector computed tomography (MDTC), or cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) plays a key role in such scenarios. The aim of this review is to summarize the diagnostic challenges associated with patients with AS and the advantages of a comprehensive multimodality cardiac imaging (MCI) approach to reach a precise grading of the disease, a crucial factor to warrant an adequate management of patients.

The intricate interplay between mitral regurgitation (MR) and left ventricular outflow tract (LVOT) obstruction may result in two clinical scenarios: prosthesis-related LVOT obstruction after mitral valve replacement (TMVR) and systolic anterior motion (SAM)-associated MR. This review provides a comprehensive overview of the pathophysiology, risk assessment, and transcatheter interventions for mitigating the likelihood of LVOT obstruction in patients undergoing TMVR. In addition, it extends its focus to SAM-associated MR, elucidating the different aetiological mechanisms contributing to this phenomenon, beyond hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. Transcatheter treatment options, are explored as potential therapeutic strategies, offering insights into their hemodynamic effectiveness and limitations.

A 79-year-old woman with a history of dilated cardiomyopathy who required a permanent peacemaker, recently upgraded to implantable cardioverter-defibrillator cardiac resynchronization therapy, was admitted for right heart failure. On echocardiography, torrential tricuspid regurgitation was noted, with 2 leads across the valve. After multidisciplinary evaluation, a dedicated transcatheter valve replacement was successfully implanted. (Level of Difficulty: Intermediate.)

Background: Left atrial appendage occlusion (LAAO) is a safe and effective alternative to oral anticoagulation for thromboprophylaxis in patients with nonvalvular atrial fibrillation. Technological development in devices and imaging techniques, as well as accumulated experience, have increased procedural success rates and decreased complications. Same-day discharge protocols have been proposed in the field of structural heart disease, but this approach has not been studied in detail for the LAAO procedure. Aim: The aim of this study is to assess the safety and efficacy of an outpatient program for LAAO when compared to the conventional treatment approach. Methods: We present a retrospective, non-randomized single-center study of 262 consecutive patients undergoing LAAO. Patients were divided into two groups, the first (n = 131) followed a conventional protocol (CP), and the second (n = 131) an outpatient protocol (OP). The primary composite endpoint comprised MACCE (death, stroke, and bleeding), cardiac tamponade, vascular complication, or attendance in the emergency department after hospital discharge at 30 days. Results: The overall success rate was 99.6%, with a periprocedural complication rate of 2.29%. With regards to the CP versus OP group, there were no differences between incidences of the primary composite endpoint (6.1% PC vs. 3.0% PA, p = 0.24), or after an analysis, with propensity score matching. No differences were observed in the individual endpoints. There was a decrease in hospital length of stay in the same-day discharge group (p < 0.01). Conclusions: A same-day discharge LAAO program is safe, effective, and feasible when compared to the conventional strategy. Moreover, it reduces hospital length of stay, which might have clinical and economic benefits.

Acute mitral regurgitation (MR) may develop in the setting of an acute myocardial infarction (AMI) because of papillary muscle dysfunction or rupture. Severe acute MR in this scenario is a life-threatening complication associated with hemodynamic instability and pulmonary edema, and has been linked to a worse prognosis even after reperfusion. Patients treated solely with medical therapy have the highest mortality rates. Surgery has been the only treatment strategy until recently, but the results of the technique are hindered by high rates of morbidity and mortality. Therefore, the development of less invasive interventions for correcting MR would be ideal. We aimed to review the current role of transcatheter interventions in this clinical setting.

Background: The timing and selection of optimal candidates for mitral transcatheter edge-to-edge valve repair remains to be fully determined, especially in cases with severely depressed left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF). The objective of this study is to evaluate the prognostic value of myocardial strain (LVGLS) in this setting. Methods: Retrospectively, 172 consecutive patients with LVEF ≤40% and severe MR treated with MitraClip were included. Four groups were generated according to the LVEF (≥30%) and median LVGLS. The primary end-point was cardiovascular mortality. Results: Procedural success was high (96.5%) and complications were rare. At one-year follow-up, 82.5% of patients maintained MR grade ≤2, 79.2% were at a NYHA class ≤II and a reduction of 80% in heart failure admissions was observed in all groups. Interestingly, among patients with a more depressed LVEF, LVGLS was found to be an independent predictor for cardiovascular mortality (HR: 3.3; 95% CI: 1.1–10, p = 0.023). Conclusions: Mitral valve repair with MitraClip is safe and it improves the mid-term functional class of patients regardless of LVEF. LVGLS can help in the selection of optimal candidates and timing for this procedure, as well as in the recognition of those patients with worse prognoses.

Tricuspid regurgitation (TR) is one of the most common heart valve diseases, associated a with poor prognosis since significant TR is associated with an increased mortality risk compared to no TR or mild regurgitation. Surgery is the standard treatment for TR, although it is associated with high morbidity, mortality, and prolonged hospitalization, particularly in tricuspid reoperation after left-sided surgery. Thus, several innovative percutaneous transcatheter approaches for repair and replacement of the tricuspid valve have gathered significant momentum and have undergone extensive clinical development in recent years, with favorable clinical outcomes in terms of mortality and rehospitalization during the first year of follow-up. We present three clinical cases of transcatheter tricuspid valve replacement in an orthotopic position with two different innovative systems along with a review of the state-of-the-art of this emergent topic.

Background: Paravalvular leak occurs in 5–17% of patients following surgical valve replacement, more often in mitral position. The prognosis without treatment is poor. Percutaneous device closure represents an alternative to repeat surgery. The objective of this work is to evaluate the medium and long-term results in the percutaneous closure of PVL in mitral prosthesis. Methods: This observational study is based on a retrospective registry including consecutive mitral PVL cases undergoing percutaneous closure at a single tertiary-care center from April 2010 to December 2020. The safety and efficacy results of the procedure, at 90 days and in the long term, were analyzed. Also, predictors of procedure failure and long-term events were identified. Results: A total of 128 consecutive mitral paravalvular leak closure procedures were included. Technical success was achieved in 115 (89.8%) procedures. The presence of multiple PVLs was the sole factor that independently predicted procedural failure. Median follow-up of our sample was 41.8 months (mean 47.7 ± 35.7 months). Underlying hemolytic anemia as the indication for PVL closure, a recent admission for decompensated HF, and lack of improvement in functional class emerged as consistent predictors of MACE and death during long-term follow-up, while lack of procedural success during the first PVL procedure and chronic kidney disease were also associated with MACE during follow-up. Conclusions: Percutaneous mitral PVL closure displayed high technical and procedural success rates, with an acceptable safety profile, in a high-risk population. Percutaneous mitral PVL closure achieved an improvement in short- and long-term functional class and a reduction of hemolysis in the vast majority of patients. In addition, long-term survival in our study was good, in particular for patients undergoing successful PVL closure procedures.

Background: Right ventricular (RV) to pulmonary circulation (PC) coupling can stratify prognosis in heart failure (HF). In this study, we assessed the prognostic role of the mean velocity of the pulmonary artery (mvPA) determined by cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) in HF with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF). Methods: Inclusion of 58 HFpEF outpatients that underwent CMR with measurement of RV–PC coupling parameters including mvPA between 2016 and 2019. The primary combined endpoint was a composite of HF readmissions and all-cause mortality. Results: Optimal cut-off value of mvPA calculated by receiver operating curve for the prediction of the primary endpoint was 9 cm/s. Over a median follow-up of 23 months (interquartile range: 24), 21 patients met the primary endpoint. The primary endpoint was more frequent in patients with mvPA ≤ 9 cm/s, as indicated by Kaplan–Meier survival curves; Log-Rank: 9.193, p = 0.02, regardless of RV dysfunction. On Cox multivariate analysis, mvPA ≤ 9 cm/s emerged as an independent prognostic predictor of the primary endpoint (HR: 4.11, 95% CI: 1.28–13.19, p = 0.017), together with left atrial area by CMR (HR: 1.08, 95% CI: 1.01–1.24, p = 0.034). Conclusions: In our HFpEF cohort, mvPA was associated with a higher rate of the primary endpoint, regardless of RV function, thus enabling identification of patients at higher risk of cardiovascular events before structural damage onset.

Mujer de 83 años con insuficiencia mitral (IM) grave asintomática hospitalizada para ser intervenida de cierre percutáneo de la orejuela izquierda tras haber sufrido una hemorragia gastrointestinal grave mientras estaba bajo tratamiento anticoagulante. La ecocardiografía transesofágica (ETE) realizada previa a la intervención confirmó la presencia de IM grave por flail en segmento P2 y con un chorro regurgitante que se deslizaba por la pared auricular hacia la orejuela. El cierre de la orejuela se llevó a cabo desplegando con éxito el sistema LAmbre (Lifetech Scientific). Una primera valoración confirmó la presencia de una fuga de IM sobre el lóbulo externo del dispositivo (figura 1A; AI: aurícula izquierda; VI: ventrículo izquierdo), si bien un examen mas detallado detectó una vía de fuga de insuficiencia mitral debajo del dispositivo utilizado para el cierre de la orejuela (figura 1B,C). La ETE en 3D del festón P2 de la válvula mitral (*) se muestra en la figura 1D-F (RAo: raíz aórtica; dispositivo de cierre de la orejuela (#); el volumen en 3D está recortado según la línea roja para crear la figura E). La imagen fluoroscópica previa al dispositivo LAmbre se muestra en la figura G. Los pasos de esta intervención pueden seguirse en...

An 83-year-old female with severe asymptomatic mitral regurgitation (MR) was admitted for an elective percutaneous left atrial appendage occlusion (LAAO) due to severe gastrointestinal bleeding under anticoagulant treatment. The transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) conducted before the procedure confirmed the presence of severe MR due to a flail P2 segment with a jet lesion on the sliding atrial wall adjacent to the appendage. An LAAO procedure was performed and the LAmbre system (Lifetech Scientific) was successfully deployed. A first assessment confirmed the presence of MR jet over the external lobe of the device (figure 1A; LA, left atrium; LV, left ventricle), but detailed scanning detected one MR jet pathway below the LAAO device (figure 1B,C). The 3D-TEE of the mitral valve P2 scallop (*) is shown on figure 1D-F (Ao, aortic root; LAAO device (#); the 3D-volume is cropped according to red line to create figure E). The pre-LAmbre device fluoroscopy image is shown on figure G. The steps of this procedure are available at video 1 of the supplementary data. Device change or relocation were not considered. We thought that a LAmbre device was the best option for a cone-shaped appendage since the external disc is far enough from the mitral...