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Background Tricuspid valve infective endocarditis ( TVIE) causes septic pulmonary embolism ( PE). However, the impact of vegetation size on PE is not fully elucidated. Methods In 26 consecutive patients with definite TVIE according to Duke criteria, we tested clinical, microbiological, and echocardiographic data including real time three-dimensional transesophageal echocardiography (3 DTEE) as potential predictors of PE. 3 DTEE measurement of maximum length of vegetation ( MLV) was obtained with Advanced QLAB Quantification Software by cropping the 3D volume with the appropriate 2D plane to obtain the largest value. The standard two-dimensional transesophageal echocardiography (2 DTEE) images were also evaluated to determine the MLV. Results Pulmonary embolism occurred after TVIE diagnosis with 3 DTEE assessment and initiation of antibiotic therapy in 12 patients (46.2%). The 3 DTEE MLV was larger than the 2 DTEE value with a mean difference of 3.6 mm (95% CI, 2.5-4.6 mm). The best cutoff value for prediction of PE was MLV ≥16.4 mm with 3 DTEE and MLV ≥9.5 mm with 2 DTEE. The positive predictive value increased from 76.9% to 90% when 3 DTEE was used. The accuracy of classification of patients with PE increased from 80.6% to 84.9% with 3 DTEE. On multivariate analysis, 3 DTEE MLV ≥16.4 mm (odds ratio 20.5; 95% confidence interval 1.31-322; P=.031) was independently associated with the occurrence of PE after adjustment for age, sex, complex vegetation, and the number of vegetation-attached leaflets. Conclusions In TVIE, vegetation length is a strong predictor of the occurrence of PE. In combination with 2 DTEE, 3 DTEE may identify high-risk patients who will need a more aggressive therapeutic strategy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: Tricuspid valve (TV) annuloplasty is an effective treatment for tricuspid regurgitation (TR). However, the impact of TV morphology on outcome of TV annuloplasty remains unknown. We sought to investigate the relationship between preoperative TV morphology and residual TR after annuloplasty., Methods and Results: Two-dimensional transthoracic and three-dimensional (3D) transesophageal echocardiography were performed in 97 patients with functional TR before and after surgery. 3D quantitative assessment including annular dimension, tenting height and volume, and lengths and tethering angles of the 3 leaflets was performed. The TV morphological score was derived from the preoperative 3D echocardiography to score a leaflet mobility, leaflet thickening, subvalvular thickening, and calcification. TR severity was determined by the averaged vena contracta measured from the apical and parasternal inflow views. Multivariable analysis revealed that a shorter total leaflet length (P = 0.007), larger tenting volume (P < 0.001), and higher TV morphological score (P < 0.001) were independently associated with residual TR. A TV-Echo score was determined as a sum of points based on receiver operator characteristics analysis: total leaflet length >61.0 mm, 61.0 to 53.5 mm, and <53.5 mm; tenting volume <2.3 mL, 2.3 to 3.5 mL, and >3.5 mL; and TV morphological score <7, 7 to 18, and >18; each variable was associated with 0 and 1 point and 2 points, respectively. The TV-Echo score ≥2 was associated with significant residual TR with a sensitivity of 85.7% and a specificity of 71.0%., Conclusion: In addition to tethering and short length of the leaflets, TV morphological abnormality predicted residual TR after TV annuloplasty., (Published on behalf of the European Society of Cardiology. All rights reserved. © The Author 2017. For permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.)

Aims: Prosthesis-patient mismatch (PPM) after transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) leads to increased mortality. However, its peri-procedural determinants remain unknown. We investigated geometric changes in aortic annulus (AoA) and left ventricular outflow tract (LVOT) during TAVR by three-dimensional transoesophageal echocardiography (3D-TEE) and its association with post-procedural PPM., Methods and Results: A total of 131 patients with severe aortic stenosis underwent intraprocedural 3D-TEE during balloon-expandable TAVR. The severity of PPM was graded using the indexed effective orifice area calculated by Doppler echocardiography at discharge, with moderate defined as ≥0.65 and ≤0.85 cm 2 /m 2 and severe defined as <0.65 cm 2 /m 2 . 3D planimetered AoA area decreased after TAVR (P< 0.001), whereas the LVOT increased (P= 0.004). The eccentricity of both AoA and LVOT decreased after TAVR (both, P< 0.001). At discharge, the incidence of overall and severe PPM was 44 and 12%, respectively. Patients with PPM had a larger body surface area, smaller aortic valve area, and less frequent balloon dilation (all P< 0.05). Patients with PPM had a lower post-TAVR AoA area/pre-TAVR AoA area (91 ± 8 vs. 95 ± 7%, P= 0.001) than those without PPM. The post-TAVR AoA area/pre-TAVR AoA area was independently associated with overall PPM (odds ratio, 1.80; 95% CI, 1.06-3.05; P= 0.031) and severe PPM (odds ratio, 2.50; 95% CI, 1.05-5.36; P= 0.04). Additionally, a cut-off value of this ratio >86.3% had a sensitivity of 84% and a specificity of 44% for the prevention of severe PPM., Conclusion: 3D-TEE can evaluate geometric changes in AoA and LVOT during balloon-expandable TAVR and predicts post-procedural PPM., (Published on behalf of the European Society of Cardiology. All rights reserved. © The Author 2016. For permissions please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.)

Background: The study aim was to investigate the mechanism of mitral regurgitation (MR) in lone atrial fibrillation (AF) patients using three-dimensional (3D) transesophageal echocardiography (TEE)., Methods: A retrospective analysis was conducted of 64 patients with AF and a normal left ventricle, and without prolapse of the mitral valve. Among these patients, significant MR was not identified in 33 cases (AF+MR- group) but was present in 31 cases (AF+MR+ group). The distance from the coaptation to the bending point of the anterior mitral leaflet (AML), where the chorda was attached, was termed the 'bending length'. The ratio of the bending length to the distance from coaptation to anterior mitral annulus was termed the 'bending ratio' (= bending length/coaptation-annulus length). The mitral annular area (MAA) fractional change was defined as follows: (MAA at late systole - MAA at early systole)/MAA at late systole × 100%). Other parameters relating to mitral valve morphology obtained using 3D TEE were measured with commercial software (QLAB, Phillips)., Results: The coaptation length (CL) was smaller in the AF+MR+ group than in the AF+MR- group (p<0.001), and correlated significantly with the anteriorposterior diameter of the mitral annulus (R = 0.286, p = -0.022), MAA at mid-systole (R = -0.269, p = 0.032), MAA fractional change (R = 0.434, p <0.001), and the bending ratio (R = -0.603, p <0.001). With a multivariable analysis, the correlating factors of significant MR in lone AF patients were a decrease in MAA fractional change (p = 0.022) and an increase of the bending ratio (p = 0.009)., Conclusions: Small MAA fractional changes and the distant position of the chordae tendineae on the AML from the coaptation correlated with significant MR in AF patients with normal left ventricular systolic function.

Aims: We sought to optimize a method for quantification of the calcium in the aortic-valvar complex for the prediction of significant paravalvular leak (PVL) after transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI)., Methods and Results: All patients had severe symptomatic aortic stenosis and were treated with balloon-expandable TAVI (Sapien/Sapien-XT, Edwards Lifesciences LLC, Irvine, CA, USA). In order to correct for precise annular sizing, only patients with available contrast computed tomography (CT) data for measurements were included (n = 198). Paravalvular leak was quantified using peri-procedural transoesophageal echocardiography by Valve Academic Research Consortium-2 (VARC-2) criteria (grade ≥ moderate was considered significant). A detailed region-of-interest methodology separated quantification of calcium in each of the aortic leaflets to that in the left ventricular outflow tract (LVOT) and was used to predict PVL in receiver operator characteristic curve analyses. For non-contrast scans, the greatest discriminatory value for PVL was seen at the 450 Hounsfield Unit (HU) threshold for detection (volume ≥626 mm(3)), whereas for contrast scans it was at 850 HU (≥235 mm(3)). Left ventricular outflow tract calcium predicted PVL but only as a binary variable with no incremental value of quantification. In a multivariable binary logistic regression model, annulus area ≥ prosthesis area (OR 3.5, 95% CI 1.5-8.2, P = 0.005), contrast leaflet calcium volume (850-HU threshold) ≥235 mm(3) (OR 2.8, 95% CI 1.2-6.7, P = 0.023), and presence of LVOT calcium (OR 2.8, 95% CI 1.2-7.0, P = 0.022) were independent predictors for PVL ≥ moderate., Conclusion: Both leaflet and LVOT calcium are significant predictors of PVL and exert an important synergistic influence on this complication, even in appropriately sized valves. With careful attention to thresholds for detection, clinically relevant leaflet calcium volumes can be identified with either non-contrast or contrast CT scans., (Published on behalf of the European Society of Cardiology. All rights reserved. © The Author 2014. For permissions please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.)