Search

We present two cases of failure of balloon inflation secondary to balloon separation from the delivery catheter when implanting the SAPIEN 3 transcatheter heart valve (Edwards Lifesciences, Irvine, CA, USA). Although very uncommon, this is a potentially disastrous complication of transcatheter intervention. Case 1 highlights the complexity of the problem when it occurs and subsequent complications. Case 2 highlights how to manage this issue successfully.

Background The EXCEL trial reported similar five-year rates of the primary composite outcome of death, myocardial infarction (MI), or stroke after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) compared with coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) for treatment of obstructive left main coronary artery disease (LMCAD). Aims We sought to determine whether these outcomes remained consistent regardless of geography of enrolment. Methods We performed a pre-specified subgroup analysis based on regional enrolment. Results Among 1,905 patients randomised to PCI (n=948) or CABG (n=957), 1,075 (56.4%) were recruited at 52 European Union (EU) centres, and 752 (39.5%) were recruited at 67 North American (NA) centres. EU versus NA patients varied according to numerous baseline demographics, anatomy, pharmacotherapy and procedural characteristics. Nonetheless, the relative rates of the primary endpoint after PCI versus CABG were consistent across EU versus NA centres at 30 days and 5 years. However, NA participants had substantially higher late rates of ischaemia-driven revascularisation (IDR) after PCI, driven predominantly by the need for greater target vessel and lesion revascularisation. This culminated in a significant difference in the relative risk of the secondary composite outcome of death, MI, stroke, or IDR at 5 years (pinteraction=0.02). Conclusions In the EXCEL trial, the relative risks for the 30-day and five-year primary composite outcome of death, MI or stroke after PCI versus CABG were consistent irrespective of geography. However, five-year rates of IDR after PCI were significantly higher in NA centres, a finding the Heart Team and patients should consider when making treatment decisions. ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT01205776.

Objectives Cardiac surgery has evolved significantly since the turn of the century. The objective of this study was to investigate trends in cardiac surgery activity and outcomes in the United Kingdom utilizing a mandatory national cardiac surgical clinical database in the context of a comprehensive public health care system (ie, the UK National Health Service). Methods Data for all cardiac surgery procedures performed between 2002 and 2016 were extracted from the UK National Adult Cardiac Surgery Audit database. Data are validated and cleaned using reproducible algorithms. Trends in activity and outcomes were analyzed by fiscal year using linear regression. Results A total of 534,067 procedures were performed during the study period with the number of cases per year peaking in 2008/2009 at 41,426. Despite an increase in patient age and mean logistic European System for Cardiac Operative Risk Evaluation score, the in-hospital mortality rate for all cardiac surgery has fallen from 4.0% to 2.8% (P Conclusions This study, which covers all cardiac surgery procedures performed in the United Kingdom for fiscal years between 2002 and 2016, demonstrates that despite an increase in patient risk profile, there has been a consistent reduction in in-hospital mortality. A number of other markers associated with quality have also improved.

We report a single-center experience in utilizing the transcaval-access transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) as an alternative approach in morbidly obese patients.Morbidly obese patients present frequently for TAVI. Transfemoral arterial access TAVI in these patients is technically challenging due to deep arterial access, resulting in a higher risk of vascular complications. Transcaval access TAVI is increasingly used in patients with prohibitive iliofemoral arterial access.We used the transcaval approach for eight morbidly obese patients who had otherwise technically feasible femoral arterial access. This technique provides an alternative arterial access point that potentially circumvents some of the challenges relating to femoral arterial access.We report eight morbidly obese patients with a mean body mass index of 42.3 ± 6.2 kg/mTranscaval access TAVI is a feasible alternative for morbidly obese patients and may reduce vascular complications. Further data are required to evaluate the safety of this approach.

OBJECTIVES Since the turn of the century, cardiac surgery has evolved quite notably. This study sought to investigate the trends in aortic valve surgery activity and subsequent outcomes in the UK by using a mandatory national cardiac surgical clinical database within the context of a comprehensive public healthcare system (National Health Service). METHODS The UK National Adult Cardiac Surgery Audit database provided data for aortic valve surgery procedures performed between 2002 and 2016, and the data were validated and cleaned using reproducible algorithms. The findings and trends in in activity and outcomes were then analysed by financial year. RESULTS During the study period, a total of 148 862 procedures were performed, with the number of cases per year peaking in 2014/2015 at 12 483. The mean in-hospital mortality rate for all aortic valve surgery has fallen from 5.6% to 3.4%, despite an increase in patient age and mean logistic EuroSCORE. While the number of isolated aortic valve replacements has remained stable at around 5000 per year, aortic valve replacement and coronary artery bypass graft have increased to over 3200 with transcatheter aortic valve implantation activity continuing to increase. CONCLUSIONS This study demonstrates that despite an increase in patient risk profile, there has been a consistent reduction in in-hospital mortality within all aortic valve surgery procedures performed in the UK over a 15-year period. Increasing catheter-based interventions have not yet resulted in a significant decrease in surgical aortic valve replacements in the UK.

Objectives Subclavian (SC) and transapical (TA) approaches are the main alternatives to the default femoral delivery for transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI). The aim of this study was to compare complications and morbidity/mortality associated with SC and TA in a long-term time frame. Methods From January 2007 to July 2015, 1506 patients underwent TAVI surgery in 36 United Kingdom TAVI centers. Primary outcomes were complications according to VARC-2 criteria. The secondary outcome was long-term survival. Results The enrolled patients were distributed as follows: 1216 in the TA group and 290 in the SC group. There were no differences in the rates of acute myocardial infarction, emergency valve-in-valve, paravalvular leak, balloon post dilatation, cardiac tamponade, stroke, renal replacement therapy, vascular injuries, and 30-day mortality among the groups. Conversely, the rate of permanent pacemaker implantation (p = .02), the procedural time duration (p = .04), and the 12-month mortality (p = .03) was higher in SC than in TA, while in-hospital length of stay was reduced in SC than in TA (p = .01). Up to 8 years, the long-term mortality was not different among groups (p = .77), and no difference in long-term survival between self- versus balloon-expandable devices was found (p = .26). Conclusions According to our results, TA provided the best 12-month survival compared to SC, while the long-term survival up to 2900 days is not significantly different between groups, so SC and TA may both represent a safe non-femoral access if femoral is precluded.

Rates of permanent pacemaker (PPM) implantation following transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) are higher than following surgery and are dependent on patient factors and valve type. There is an increasing trend towards pre-emptive PPM insertion in patients with significant conduction disease prior to TAVI. We report results from the British Cardiovascular Intervention Society (BCIS) on pre- and post-procedural PPM implantation in the TAVI population. All centres in the United Kingdom performing TAVI are required to submit data on all TAVI procedures to the National database which are then reported annually. During 2015, there were 2373 TAVI procedures in the UK. 22.4% of TAVI patients had a PPM implanted either pre-procedure (including the distant past), or during the in-hospital procedural episode. Of these, 7.9% were pre-procedure and 14.5% post-procedure. Overall PPM rates were Edwards Sapien (13.5%), Medtronic CoreValve (28.2%) and Boston Lotus (42.1%; p

BACKGROUND: Percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) is increasingly used in revascularisation of patients with left main coronary artery disease in place of the standard treatment, coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG). The NOBLE trial aimed to evaluate whether PCI was non-inferior to CABG in the treatment of left main coronary artery disease and reported outcomes after a median follow-up of 3·1 years. We now report updated 5-year outcomes of the trial.METHODS: The prospective, randomised, open-label, non-inferiority NOBLE trial was done at 36 hospitals in nine northern European countries. Patients with left main coronary artery disease requiring revascularisation were enrolled and randomly assigned (1:1) to receive PCI or CABG. The primary endpoint was major adverse cardiac or cerebrovascular events (MACCE), a composite of all-cause mortality, non-procedural myocardial infarction, repeat revascularisation, and stroke. Non-inferiority of PCI to CABG was defined as the upper limit of the 95% CI of the hazard ratio (HR) not exceeding 1·35 after 275 MACCE had occurred. Secondary endpoints included all-cause mortality, non-procedural myocardial infarction, and repeat revascularisation. Outcomes were analysed in the intention-to-treat population. This trial is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT01496651.FINDINGS: Between Dec 9, 2008, and Jan 21, 2015, 1201 patients were enrolled and allocated to PCI (n=598) or CABG (n=603), with 17 subsequently lost to early follow-up. 592 patients in each group were included in this analysis. At a median of 4·9 years of follow-up, the predefined number of events was reached for adequate power to assess the primary endpoint. Kaplan-Meier 5-year estimates of MACCE were 28% (165 events) for PCI and 19% (110 events) for CABG (HR 1·58 [95% CI 1·24-2·01]); the HR exceeded the limit for non-inferiority of PCI compared to CABG. CABG was found to be superior to PCI for the primary composite endpoint (p=0·0002). All-cause mortality was estimated in 9% after PCI versus 9% after CABG (HR 1·08 [95% CI 0·74-1·59]; p=0·68); non-procedural myocardial infarction was estimated in 8% after PCI versus 3% after CABG (HR 2·99 [95% CI 1·66-5·39]; p=0·0002); and repeat revascularisation was estimated in 17% after PCI versus 10% after CABG (HR 1·73 [95% CI 1·25-2·40]; p=0·0009).INTERPRETATION: In revascularisation of left main coronary artery disease, PCI was associated with an inferior clinical outcome at 5 years compared with CABG. Mortality was similar after the two procedures but patients treated with PCI had higher rates of non-procedural myocardial infarction and repeat revascularisation.FUNDING: Biosensors.

BACKGROUND Selection of appropriate patients for transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) can be challenging. Many factors can influence post-procedure outcomes. Traditional surgical scoring systems do not discriminate effectively. Medical parameters and functional indices can characterize mortality risk. Mobility is an important predictive functional index but is largely defined using subjective criteria. AIM To describe the relationship between mobility, objectively defined by the requirement for gait aids to ambulate, and all-cause 30-day and long-term mortality in patients undergoing TAVI. METHODS Mobility aid use was assessed in 1444 consecutive patients undergoing TAVI in a single center. Patients were categorized into "unaided," "1-stick," and "higher aid" groups based on the Brighton Mobility Index. Mortality tracking was obtained via the NHS Spine Portal in February 2021. RESULTS Patients were aged 82 (IQR 78-86). 66% of patients walked unaided, 26% walked with 1 stick, and 8% required more assistance (e.g., 2 sticks, a Rollator, a Zimmer frame, or a wheelchair). Overall 30-day mortality for the whole cohort was 3.5%; 1-year mortality was 12.2%. Mobility was a significant predictor of 30-day mortality (p = 0.025). Use of a higher aid was associated with a mortality odds ratio of 2.83 (95% CI: 1.39-5.74). Mobility was also a significant predictor of long-term mortality (p

Background Little is known about unwarranted variations in care and outcomes of patients who undergo surgical repair for type A acute aortic dissection(TAAD). We aim to investigate decade-long trends in TAAD surgical repair in England. Method Retrospective review of the National Institute for Cardiovascular Outcomes Research (NICOR) National Adult Cardiac Surgery Audit (NACSA) registry from January 2009 to December 2018 , which prospectively collects demographic and peri-operative clinical information for all adult cardiac surgery procedures in the UK. Results Over the 10-year period,3,686 TAAD patients underwent surgical repair in England. A steady doubling in the overall number of operations conducted in England was observed from 237 cases recorded in 2009 to 510 in 2018. Number of procedures per hospital per year also doubled, from 10 in 2009 to 21 in 2018. The risk profile of the operated patients remained unchanged. Overall, in-hospital mortality was 17.4% with a trend toward lower mortality in the most recent years (from 22.8% in 2009 to 14.7% in 2018). There was a significant variation in operative mortality across regions with a trend towards lower mortality in regions with a high-volume hospital. Conclusions Surgery is the only treatment for acute TAAD but is associated with high mortality. Prompt diagnosis and referral to a specialist center is paramount. The number of operations conducted in England has doubled in 10 years and the associated survival following surgery has improved. Regional variations exist in service provision with a trend towards better survival in high volume centers.

Binaural auralization through proper room-acoustic simulation can produce a realistic listening experience as if the listener were sitting in a room with spatial perception, including enveloping reverberance. Based on analysis of experimentally measured binaural room-acoustic data, this paper discusses an approach to creating artificial but natural-sounding reverberation for binaural rendering that can be employed in simulating such an environment in an efficient way. Approaches to adjusting the spaciousness of enveloping reverberance within the context of artificially generated reverberation are investigated via hearing tests. This paper exploits the excellent pseudorandom properties of maximum-length sequences to generate deterministic and controllable decorrelations between binaural channels for artificial reverberation for room-acoustic simulations with high computational efficiency. To achieve natural-sounding enveloping reverberance in an enclosed space, and thereby an immersive environment, the shapes of both the reverberation energy decays and the spatial characteristics are found to be decisive. This paper discusses systematic hearing test results that support the mentioned finding.

OBJECTIVES The objective was to review national trends in activity and hospital outcomes in older patients having cardiac surgery over a 15-year time period. METHODS Data were collected prospectively and uploaded to the National Institute for Cardiovascular Outcomes Research electronically. Data were validated, cleaned and processed using reproducible algorithms. Mortality was death in hospital after index operation. RESULTS A total of 227 442 cardiac procedures were recorded in patients aged ≥70 years of which 46 354 were in those aged ≥80 years. Overall patients aged ≥70 years represented 43% of all adult cardiac surgery in the most recent study year. The annual proportion of surgery in patients ≥80 years increased from 4.1% to 10.8% between the first and last study years. There has been a significant linear increase in octogenarian valve [β 67.44, 95% confidence interval (CI) 55.04 to 79.83, P CONCLUSIONS This study represents the largest complete validated national dataset of cardiac surgery in the entire population of older patients. Octogenarians represent 11% of adult patients having cardiac surgery by the end of the study period, a three-fold increase from the start. In-hospital mortality in patients aged ≥80 years halved during study period to only 4% despite high logistic EuroSCORE of 15%. Cardiac surgery in octogenarians places a higher demand on resources, however, with an increased postoperative length of stay.

Service Specification for TAVI: Recommendations of the British Cardiovascular Intervention Society – Updated July 2019 Severe AS (sAS) is the most common primary valve disease leading to surgery or catheter intervention in Europe and North America, with a growing prevalence due to the ageing population.[3] It is a degenerative condition in which the outflow of blood from the heart is restricted by progressive narrowing of the aortic valve. This leads to symptoms of breathlessness, exertional chest pain or blackouts. Untreated, the condition causes left ventricular failure and death, with up to 40% of patients dying within 1 year of symptom onset. No medical therapy can improve outcome for this condition and therefore valve intervention is the only treatment option that alters prognosis. The standard of care for this condition has historically been surgical aortic valve replacement (sAVR), but around one-third of patients are ineligible for sAVR due to a combination of age and comorbidities. TAVI is a transformational technology; it is a much less invasive approach than sAVR and involves implantation of a new valve without the need for complex surgery or the use of a heart–lung bypass machine. This is most commonly done via the femoral arteries (transfemoral or TF approach), but it may also be accomplished via the subclavian arteries or via minimally invasive access using the cardiac apex between the ribs, directly into the aorta through a small incision. Less common approaches via the carotid arteries, axillary artery and the femoral veins or abdominal aorta have also been described. Therefore, for most patients undergoing TAVI, the procedure is performed via the femoral artery, under local anaesthesia or conscious sedation in a catheter laboratory. This results in quicker patient recovery, a shorter hospital stay and reduced use of expensive and limited resources such as cardiac operating theatres and intensive care unit beds, as well as postoperative nursing care. A number of different valve designs are available, including balloon-expandable and self-expandable devices. Each has different performance characteristics, which may be tailored to specific anatomical or patient-specific features. TAVI has been proven to be superior to medical therapy for inoperable patients and superior to sAVR in patients who are high risk for sAVR (Society of Thoracic Surgeons [STS] or Euroscore II >8%).[4–6] Trials have also shown that patients with intermediate surgical risk (STS or Euroscore II >4%) who are eligible for a TF approach have superior outcomes with TAVI.[7–9] Moreover, randomised trials have shown TAVI to be superior to sAVR in patients classified as low risk (STS

BACKGROUND Transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) is maturing as a treatment option and is now often undertaken during an unscheduled index hospital admission. The aim of this study was to look at procedural and mid-term outcomes of patients undergoing elective versus urgent in-hospital transcatheter aortic valve implantation. METHODS We identified a total of 1,157 patients who underwent TAVI between November 2007 and November 2019 at the Sussex Cardiac Centre in the UK. We compared the demographics, procedural outcomes, 30-day and 1-year mortality between elective and urgent patients. Emergency and salvage TAVI cases were excluded. RESULTS Of the 1,157 patients who underwent the procedure, 975 (84.3%) had elective while 182 (15.7%) had urgent TAVI. Predominant aortic stenosis was more frequent in elective patients (91.7% vs. 77.4%); p

Objectives To determine whether a permanent pacemaker (PPM) in situ can enhance survival after transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI), in a predominantly inoperable or high risk cohort. Background New conduction disturbances are the most frequent complication of TAVI, often necessitating PPM implantation before hospital discharge. Methods We performed an observational cohort analysis of the UK TAVI registry (2007-2015). Primary and secondary endpoints were 30-day post-discharge all-cause mortality and long-term survival, respectively. Results Of 8,651 procedures, 6,815 complete datasets were analyzed. A PPM at hospital discharge, irrespective of when implantation occurred (PPM 1.68% [22/1309] vs. no PPM 1.47% [81/5506], odds ratio [OR] 1.14, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.71-1.84; p = .58), or a PPM implanted peri- or post-TAVI only (PPM 1.44% [11/763] vs. no PPM 1.47% [81/5506], OR 0.98 [0.51-1.85]; p = .95) did not significantly reduce the primary endpoint. Patients with a PPM at discharge were older, male, had right bundle branch block at baseline, were more likely to have received a first-generation self-expandable prosthesis and had experienced more peri- and post-procedural complications including bailout valve-in-valve rescue, bleeding and acute kidney injury. A Cox proportional hazards model demonstrated significantly reduced long-term survival in all those with a PPM, irrespective of implantation timing (hazard ratio [HR] 1.14 [1.02-1.26]; p = .019) and those receiving a PPM only at the time of TAVI (HR 1.15 [1.02-1.31]; p = .032). The reasons underlying this observation warrant further investigation. Conclusions A PPM did not confer a survival advantage in the first 30 days after hospital discharge following TAVI.

OBJECTIVES The aim of this study was to review the UK national trends in activity and outcome in coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) over a 15-year period (2002–2016). METHODS Validated data collected (2002–2016) and uploaded to National Institute for Cardiovascular Outcomes Research were used to generate summary data from the National Adult Cardiac Surgery Audit Database for the analysis. Logistic European System of Cardiac Operative Risk Evaluation was used for risk stratification with recalibration applied for governance. Data were analysed by financial year and presented as numerical, categorical, %, mean and standard deviation where appropriate. Mortality was recorded as death in hospital at any time after index CABG operation. RESULTS A total of 347 626 CABG procedures (282 883 isolated CABG, 61 109 CABG and valve and 4132 redo CABG) were recorded. Over this period annual activity reduced from 66.6% of workload to 41.7%. The mean age for isolated CABG was 65.7 years. The mean log European System of Cardiac Operative Risk Evaluation was 3.1, 5.9 and 23.2 for elective, urgent and emergency isolated CABG, respectively. There was a decline in the observed mortality for all procedures. Overall mortality for isolated CABG surgery is now 1.0% and only 0.6% for elective operations. CONCLUSIONS Quality of care and risk-adjusted mortality rates have consistently improved over the last 15 years despite the increasing risk profile of patients. There have been a consistent decline in overall case volumes and a three-fold increase in elderly cases.

Background: Little is known about unwarranted variations in care, with regional differences and outcomes of patients who undergo surgical repair for type A acute aortic dissection (TAAD) in England. We aim to investigate decade-long trends in TAAD surgical repair in England using national-level data. Method: Retrospective review of the National Institute for Cardiovascular Outcomes Research (NICOR) National Adult Cardiac Surgery Audit (NACSA) registry, which prospectively collects demographic, as well as pre-, peri- and post-operative clinical information, including mortality, for all major adult cardiac surgery procedures performed in the UK. We identified patients undergoing surgery for TAAD from January 2009 to December 2018 and reviewed trends in operative frequency and mortality. Findings: Over the 10-year period,3,686 TAAD patients underwent surgical repair in England. A steady doubling in the overall number of operations conducted in England was observed from 237 cases recorded in 2009 to 510 in 2018. Number of procedures per hospital per year also doubled, from 10 in 2009 to 21 in 2018. The risk profile of the operated patients remained unchanged. Overall, in-hospital mortality was 17.4% with a trend toward lower mortality in the most recent years (from 22.8% in 2009 to 14.7% in 2018). There was a significant variation in operative mortality across regions with a trend towards lower mortality in regions with a high-volume hospital. Interpretation: Surgery is the only treatment for acute TAAD but is associated with high mortality. Prompt diagnosis and referral to a specialist center is paramount. The number of operations conducted in England has doubled in 10 years and the associated survival following surgery has improved. Regional variations exist in service provision with a trend towards better survival in high volume centers. Funding Statement: British Heart Foundation and NIHR Biomedical Research Centre at University Hospitals Bristol and Weston NHS Foundation Trust and University of Bristol. Declaration of Interests: Authors have no conflict of interests to declare. Ethics Approval Statement: This study is part of research approved by the Health Research Authority (HRA) and Health and Care Research Wales (HCRW) (IRAS ID: 278171).

Multi-pattern search is a critical task in many domains like DPI, NIDS, firewall and big data analytics. Aho-Corasick algorithm (AC) is one of the best multi-pattern search algorithms with linear complexity. Our goal is to optimize AC algorithm to reduce search time for multi-pattern match. Our optimized algorithm constructs AC DFA graph by adding up to K patterns for each input pattern and searches modified AC DFA by using every Kth bytes from input search text and skipping adjoining K-1 bytes. Here K is optimization factor. Our algorithm complexity is in order of n/K with input size n. Our algorithm requires less memory to construct optimized AC DFA compared to original AC DFA graph. Depending on number of patterns added in AC DFA, the evaluation results show 30-45% search performance gain for K = 2. With higher optimization factor, search performance gain close to 40-60% is achieved.

OBJECTIVES The risk of brain injury following surgery for type A aortic dissection (TAAD) remains substantial and no consensus has still been reached on which neuroprotective technique should be preferred. We aimed to investigate the association between neuroprotective strategies and clinical outcomes following TAAD repair. METHODS Using the UK National Adult Cardiac Surgical Audit, we identified 1929 patients undergoing surgery for TAAD (2011–2018). Deep hypothermic circulatory arrest (DHCA) only, unilateral (uACP), bilateral antegrade cerebral perfusion (bACP) and retrograde cerebral perfusion were used in 830, 117, 760 and 222 patients, respectively. The primary end point was a composite of death and/or cerebrovascular accident (CVA). Generalized linear mixed model was used to adjust the effect of neuroprotective strategies for other confounders. RESULTS The use of bACP was associated with longer circulatory arrest (CA) compared to other strategies. There was a trend towards lower incidence of death and/or CVA using uACP only for shorter CA. In particular, primary end point rate was 27.7% overall and 26.5%, 12.5%, 28.0% and 22.9% for CA, Management of type A acute aortic dissection (TAAD) remains a challenge.

OBJECTIVES We sought to identify baseline demographics and procedural factors that might independently predict in-hospital stroke following transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI). BACKGROUND Stroke is a recognized, albeit infrequent, complication of TAVI. Established predictors of procedure-related in-hospital stroke; however, remain poorly defined. METHODS We conducted an observational cohort analysis of the multicenter UK TAVI registry. The primary outcome measure was the incidence of in-hospital stroke. RESULTS A total of 8,652 TAVI procedures were performed from 2007 to 2015. There were 205 in-hospital strokes reported by participating centers equivalent to an overall stroke incidence of 2.4%. Univariate analysis showed that the implantation of balloon-expandable valves caused significantly fewer strokes (balloon-expandable 96/4,613 [2.08%] vs. self-expandable 95/3,272 [2.90%]; p = .020). After multivariable analysis, prior cerebrovascular disease (CVD) (odds ratio [OR] 1.51, 95% confidence interval [CI 1.05-2.17]; p = .03), advanced age at time of operation (OR 1.02 [0.10-1.04]; p = .05), bailout coronary stenting (OR 5.94 [2.03-17.39]; p = .008), and earlier year of procedure (OR 0.93 [0.87-1.00]; p = .04) were associated with an increased in-hospital stroke risk. There was a reduced stroke risk in those who had prior cardiac surgery (OR 0.62 [0.41-0.93]; p = .01) and a first-generation balloon-expandable valve implanted (OR 0.72 [0.53-0.97]; p = .03). In-hospital stroke significantly increased 30-day (OR 5.22 [3.49-7.81]; p

The need for permanent pacemaker implantation (PPI) following transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) is a recognized complication due to compression of the cardiac conduction system. PPI rates vary according to type of TAVI device, implantation technique, and patient-related factors.We analyzed the baseline characteristics, and then the preprocedure and daily postprocedure electrocardiograms (ECGs) of 101 consecutive patients who underwent TAVI using the Lotus valve (Boston Scientific) between 2013 and 2015.Mean patient age was 81.7 ± 7.7 years, 56% were male. and 21 patients were excluded because of baseline atrial fibrillation or a pre-existing PPI. Of the remaining 80 patients, a total of 28 (35%) underwent PPI at a mean 2.7 days after TAVI. There were no differences in development of new left bundle-branch block between the two groups (65% PPI group vs 74% no-PPI group; P=.37). The initial PR interval did not differ between groups (183 ms PPI group vs 184 ms no-PPI group). The PR interval increased by day 1 post procedure (232 ms PPI group vs 195 ms no-PPI group; P.01) and day 2 (267 ms PPI group vs 211 ms no-PPI group; P.05).Patients with a PR interval ≤230 ms on day 1 or ≤260 ms on day 2 post TAVI using the Lotus device are at very low risk of requiring PPI, irrespective of the presence of left bundle-branch block, and can be safely discharged without prolonged monitoring.

ObjectivesTo date the reported outcomes of surgical aortic valve replacement (SAVR) are mainly in the settings of trials comparing it with evolving transcatheter aortic valve implantation. We set out to examine characteristics and outcomes in people who underwent SAVR reflecting a national cohort and therefore ‘real-world’ practice.DesignRetrospective analysis of prospectively collected data of consecutive people who underwent SAVR with or without coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery between April 2013 and March 2018 in the UK. This included elective, urgent and emergency operations. Participants’ demographics, preoperative risk factors, operative data, in-hospital mortality, postoperative complications and effect of the addition of CABG to SAVR were analysed.Setting27 (90%) tertiary cardiac surgical centres in the UK submitted their data for analysis.Participants31 277 people with AVR were identified. 19 670 (62.9%) had only SAVR and 11 607 (37.1%) had AVR+CABG.ResultsIn-hospital mortality for isolated SAVR was 1.9% (95% CI 1.6% to 2.1%) and was 2.4% for AVR+CABG. Mortality by age category for SAVR only were: 75 years=2.2%. For SAVR+CABG these were; 2.2%, 1.8% and 3.1%. For different categories of EuroSCORE, mortality for SAVR in low risk people was 1.3%, in intermediate risk 1% and for high risk 3.9%. 74.3% of the operations were elective, 24% urgent and 1.7% emergency/salvage. The incidences of resternotomy for bleeding and stroke were 3.9% and 1.1%, respectively. Multivariable analyses provided no evidence that concomitant CABG influenced outcome. However, urgency of the operation, poor ventricular function, higher EuroSCORE and longer cross clamp and cardiopulmonary bypass times adversely affected outcomes.ConclusionsSurgical SAVR±CABG has low mortality risk and a low level of complications in the UK in people of all ages and risk factors. These results should inform consideration of treatment options in people with aortic valve disease.

Background Little is known about variations in care and outcomes of patients undergoing surgical repair for type A aortic dissection(TAAD). We aim to investigate decade-long trends in TAAD surgical repair in England. Methods Retrospective review of the National Adult Cardiac Surgery Audit, which prospectively collects demographic and peri‑operative information for all major adult cardiac surgery procedures performed in the UK. We identified patients undergoing surgery for TAAD from January 2009-December 2018, reviewed trends in operative frequency, patient demographics, and mortality. Findings Over the 10-year period,3,680 TAAD patients underwent surgical repair in England. A doubling in the overall number of operations conducted in England was observed (235 cases in 2009 to 510 in 2018). Number of procedures per hospital per year also doubled(9 in 2009 to 23 in 2018). Overall, in-hospital mortality was 17.4% with a trend toward lower mortality in recent years(23% in 2009 to 14.7% in 2018). There was a significant variation in operative mortality between hospitals and surgeons. We also found that most patients presented towards the middle of the week and during winter. Interpretation Surgery is the only treatment for acute TAAD but is associated with high mortality. Prompt diagnosis and referral to a specialist center is paramount. The number of operations conducted in England has doubled in 10 years and the associated survival has improved. Variations exist in service provision with a trend towards better survival in high volume centers. Funding British Heart Foundation and NIHR Biomedical Research center(University Hospitals Bristol and Weston NHS Foundation Trust and University of Bristol).

Objectives The authors report the incidence of pacemaker implantation up to hospital discharge and the factors influencing pacing rate following implantation of the LOTUS bioprosthesis (Boston Scientific, Natick, Massachusetts) in the United Kingdom. Background Transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) is associated with a significant need for permanent pacemaker implantation. Pacing rates vary according to the device used. The REPRISE II (Repositionable Percutaneous Replacement of Stenotic Aortic Valve Through Implantation of Lotus Valve System) trial reported a pacing rate of 29% at 30 days after implantation of the LOTUS device. Methods Data were collected retrospectively on 228 patients who had the LOTUS device implanted between March 2013 and February 2015 across 10 centers in the United Kingdom. Twenty-seven patients (12%) had pacemakers implanted pre-procedure and were excluded from the analysis. Results Patients were aged 81.2 ± 7.7 years; 50.7% were male. The mean pre-procedural QRS duration was 101.7 ± 20.4 ms. More than one-half of the cohort (n = 111, 55%) developed new left bundle branch block (LBBB) following the procedure. Permanent pacemakers were implanted in 64 patients (32%) with a median time to insertion of 3.0 ± 3.4 days. Chief indications for pacing were atrioventricular (AV) block (n = 46, 72%), or LBBB with 1st degree AV block (n = 11, 17%). Amongst those who received a pacemaker following TAVR the pre-procedural electrocardiogram findings included: No conduction disturbance (n = 41, 64%); 1st degree AV block (n = 10, 16%); right bundle branch block (n = 6, 9%) and LBBB (n = 5, 8%). LBBB (but not permanent pacemaker) occurred more frequently in patients who had balloon aortic valvuloplasty before TAVR (odds ratio [OR]: 1.25; p = 0.03). Pre-procedural conduction abnormality (composite of 1st degree AV block, hemiblock, right bundle branch block, LBBB) was independently associated with the need for permanent pacemaker (OR: 2.54; p = 0.048). The absence of aortic valve calcification was also associated with a higher pacing rate (OR: 0.55; p = 0.031). Multivariate regression analysis did not show an independent association between depth of implant, valve oversizing, balloon post-dilatation, and the need for pacing post-procedure. Conclusions Following implantation of the repositionable LOTUS valve, 55% of patients developed LBBB and 32% of patients required a pacemaker during their index hospital admission. Patients with pre-procedural conduction disturbance and non-calcified aortic valves were more likely to need pacing. No other anatomic features were identified with increased pacing requirement with the LOTUS device.

Background The direct aortic (DA) approach allows for transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) in patients with difficult peripheral vascular anatomy. The CoreValve ADVANCE Direct Aortic (ADVANCE DA) study was performed to assess the outcomes of DA TAVI with the CoreValve System (Medtronic, Minneapolis, MN) in routine practice. Methods Patients were selected for the DA approach by local cardiac surgical teams, and TAVI was performed with patients under general anesthesia. Safety events were adjudicated according to the Valve Academic Research Consortium-2 definitions by an independent clinical events committee. All imaging data, including that from multislice computed tomography and follow-up echocardiography, were analyzed by an independent core laboratory. Results From September 2012 to February 2014, 100 patients were enrolled (52.0% male, age 81.9 ± 5.9 years, The Society of Thoracic Surgeons Score 5.9 ± 3.2%) at 9 centers in Europe. Peripheral vascular disease was present in 51.0% of patients, and 38.0% had diabetes. Of the 100 patients enrolled, 92 underwent TAVI. At 30 days after TAVI, 98.1% were free of moderate or severe paravalvular leak. At 1 year, 16 patients had died (Kaplan-Meier rate 17.9%), 1 (1.1%) patient had had a stroke, classified as nondisabling, and 15 (17.0%) patients had received a permanent pacemaker. Most patients experienced improved quality of life as measured by the Kansas City Cardiomyopathy Questionnaire overall summary score (mean change from baseline to 1 year, 39.6 ± 26.3; p Conclusions The DA approach provides a feasible alternative for patients with challenging anatomic features that may otherwise preclude use of the TAVI procedure.

Introduction and Method Transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) and balloon aortic valvuloplasty (BAV) are now well established percutaneous procedures. These procedures almost always require bursts of rapid ventricular pacing to temporarily reduce cardiac output to facilitate the procedure, usually done via a temporary pacing wire inserted into the right ventricle. We describe a case series of 132 cases of TAVI and 76 BAV done using ventricular pacing via the left ventricular lead by simply connecting one electrode to the patient's skin and one electrode through the left ventricular (LV) wire. Results All of the 132 TAVI cases (a mixture of Edwards Sapien, Medtronic CoreValve and Boston Scientific Lotus) and 76 BAV were successfully performed using pacing through the LV wire. No BAV patients required temporary pacing wire (TPW) or permanent pacemaker (PPM) insertion. Of the TAVI patients, 6 (4.5%) required TPW during the procedure due to complete heart block to facilitate removal of the LV wire. 1 patient (0.8%) required a PPM urgently due to complete heart block and haemodynamic instability. Twenty eight Patients (21.2%) required PPM following TAVI, 9 of which were within the first 24 hr. Average time to pacemaker implantation was 3.7 days. Conclusion Rapid ventricular pacing via the LV wire is a simple, safe and effective strategy for percutaneous aortic valve intervention and balloon aortic valvuloplasty. It eliminates the need for a temporary pacing wire with its attendant risks in the vast majority of cases. Furthermore, most pacemakers following TAVI are required late, after the first 24 hr period, by which time the TPW has already usually been removed. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Leaning objectives To date, there remains no universal definition for ‘elderly’, and indeed for some, biological age does not correspond with chronological age. However, most now consider elderly as those aged ≥80 years. Within the Western world, the general population is ageing; therefore, the proportion of octogenarians (defined as age >80 years) in the general population is expected to triple by the year 2050.1 Advanced age is associated with an increased incidence of coronary heart disease, with patients presenting with both stable and unstable (acute coronary syndromes (ACS)) symptoms.2 ,3 Hence, cardiovascular disease is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality in older people, and increasingly, elderly patients are referred for revascularisation. As such, they represent an important high-risk subgroup of patients. Myocardial revascularisation is appropriate when the expected benefits, in terms of survival or health outcomes (symptoms, functional status and/or quality of life (QoL)), exceed the expected negative consequences of the procedure.4 However, revascularisation in this high-risk population is not without risk. It can often be a very difficult clinical decision whether or not an elderly patient should undergo attempted revascularisation, irrespective of the modality, whether that be by coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) or percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). Many have significant comorbid pathology, and previous studies have shown that octogenarians experience increased in-hospital complications and mortality relative to younger patients.3 ,5 To date, many revascularisation trials have focused on a younger patient demographic, with octogenarians often under-represented, and with varying definitions. Therefore, the existing evidence and guidelines that exist are often extrapolated from trial based on a younger patient population into this rapidly growing …

Background Redo surgery for degenerative bioprosthetic aortic valves is associated with significant morbidity and mortality. Report results of valve-in-valve therapy (ViV-TAVI) in failed supra-annular stentless Freedom Solo (FS) bioprostheses, which are the highest risk for coronary occlusion. Methods Six patients with FS valves (mean age 78.5 years, 50% males). Five had valvular restenosis (peak gradient 87.2 mm Hg, valve area 0.63 cm2), one had severe regurgitation (AR). Median time to failure was 7 years. Results Patients were high risk (mean STS/Logistic EuroScore 10.6 15.8, respectively). FS valves ranged from 21 to 25 mm. Successful ViV-TAVI was achieved in 4/6 patients (67%). Of the unsuccessful cases, (patient 1 and 2 of series) patient 1 underwent BAV with simultaneous aortography which revealed left main stem occlusion. The procedure was stopped and the patient went forward for repeat surgery. Patient 2 underwent successful ViV-TAVI with a 26-mm CoreValve with a guide catheter in the left main, but on removal coronary obstruction occurred, necessitating valve snaring into the aorta. Among the successful cases, (patients 3, 4, 5, 6) the TAVIs used were CoreValve Evolut R 23 mm (n = 3), and Lotus 23 mm (n = 1). In the successful cases the peak gradient fell from 83.0 to 38.3 mm Hg. No patient was left with >1+ AR. One patient had a stroke on Day 2, with full neurological recovery. Two patients underwent semi-elective pacing for LBBB and PR >280 ms. Conclusions ViV-TAVI in stentless Freedom Solo valves is high risk. The risk of coronary occlusion is high. The smallest possible prosthesis (1:1 sizing) should be used, and strategies to protect the coronary vessels must be considered. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Objectives This study sought to present the U.K. experience to date with the second-generation LOTUS bioprosthesis (Boston Scientific, Natick, Massachusetts). Background First-generation transcatheter aortic valves have limitations. Second-generation repositionable valves may improve on some of those limitations. Methods Prospectively collected data relating to procedural and in-hospital outcome was analyzed from 10 implantation centers in the United Kingdom. Results Implants in 228 patients age 81.4 ± 7.6 years were studied; 53.5% were male. Mean logistic EuroScore was 17.5 ± 12.4. One hundred eighty-seven (82.0%) were undertaken for aortic stenosis, 7 (3.1%) for aortic regurgitation, and 34 (14.9%) for mixed aortic valve disease. A total of 67.1% of cases were done under local anesthetic and/or sedation with transfemoral access in 94.7% and transaortic in 5.3%. Three device sizes were used: 23 mm (n = 66, 28.9%), 25 mm (n = 39, 17.1%), and 27 mm (n = 123, 53.9%). The valve was successfully deployed in 99.1% of procedures. After implantation, the mean aortic gradient was 11.4 ± 5.4 mm Hg and aortic valve area 1.6 ± 0.5 cm 2 . In-hospital mortality was 1.8% (n = 4). Complications included cardiac tamponade (1.8%), conversion to sternotomy (1.3%), stroke (3.9%), vascular access-related (7.0%), and acute kidney injury (7.9%). The incidence of moderate/severe aortic regurgitation was 0.8% (n = 2). A total of 31.8% of patients required new permanent pacemaker implantation. Conclusions This analysis represents the largest published series on use of the LOTUS valve. Outcomes using this valve are excellent. In-hospital mortality is very low. Complication rates are low, and the LOTUS valve improves on first-generation valves, particularly with regard to residual aortic regurgitation.

Transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) has become the standard treatment for aortic stenosis in high-risk patients. TAVI for native valve aortic regurgitation is technically more demanding because of a lack of anchoring calcification, a lower index incidence, heterogeneous causes, and larger anatomy. We present 3 cases in which the Lotus TAV was used to treat severe native aortic regurgitation (AR) successfully.

Bioprosthetic heart valves do not usually require formal anticoagulation as they are less thrombogenic than their mechanical counterparts. However, valve thrombosis has been reported after both transcatheter and surgical aortic bioprosthesis implantation. Short-term anticoagulation after surgical bioprosthesis implantation is often recommended while endothelialisation of the prosthesis takes place, particularly for mitral valve implants. There have been no reports of tissue heart valve thrombosis in transcatheter mitral valve replacement. We describe our experience and successful treatment of such a case.

Left ventricular outflow tract (LVOT) obstruction is a common devastating complication of transcatheter mitral valve replacement, with few treatment options, including alcohol septal ablation, causing myocardial and conduction tissue damage, or cardiac surgery. A 63-year-old man with previous