Diagnosis of Supravalvular Aortic Stenosis by Transesophageal Echocardiography

The role of transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) in diagnosis of disorders of the thoracic aorta is well established. In this report the TEE findings in an adult patient with supravalvular aortic stenosis are presented. This showed narrowing of the ascending aorta just above the sinuses, due to fibromuscular thickening, causing an hour-glass shaped deformity. The excellent image quality obtained by TEE is far superior to transthoracic echocardiography. Coronary artery ostial obstruction a known association of supravalvular aortic stenosis can be caused by different mechanisms including adherence of the aortic valve leaflet to the ridge of obstructive muscle or premature atherosclerosis. TEE can define the mechanism of coronary artery ostial obstruction associated with supravalvular aortic stenosis.     

经皮导管双球囊成形术治疗主动脉瓣上狭窄

目的:报告1例主动脉瓣上狭窄经皮导管双球囊成形术治疗成功,获得良好近期疗效,并做简要讨论.方法:女性患者7.5岁,具部分Williams综合征表现.超声显示于主动脉瓣上约1.0 cm处可见一隔膜样结构,中央开口约0.7 cm,主动脉瓣环内径为1.6 cm,主动脉瓣开口约为1.2 cm.造影诊断为主动脉瓣上狭窄.心导管检查测得狭窄的压力阶差为70 mmHg(1 mmHg=0.133 kPa).经双侧股动脉穿刺分别送入12 mm×20 mm及10 mm×40 mm的球囊进行扩张.结果:术后造影显示主动脉瓣上狭窄基本消失,其压力阶差降至12 mmHg.超声心动图复查示主动脉瓣上隔膜由原固定不动变得随主动脉舒缩而摆动并于舒张期明显张开.结论:作为一种少创有效的介入技术经皮导管双球囊成形术治疗主动脉瓣上狭窄1例获得良好疗效.双球囊径稍大于主动脉瓣环径(≤1.3)亦安全可行,远期疗效需进一步随访观察.     

儿童主动脉瓣病变成形术

目的：总结主动脉瓣成形术在儿童主动脉瓣病变中的治疗效果。方法：分析33例14岁以下患儿因各种心脏病伴主动脉瓣病变,在本科住院手术的临床资料。其中手术死亡1例,病死率为1．8％。32位患儿术后康复出院,出院复查提示主动脉瓣功能较术前显改善（P＜0．05）。随访无死亡,无再次手术,所有患儿心功能为NYHA Ⅰ级或Ⅱ级。结论：大多数儿童主动脉瓣成形中期效果良好。儿童主动脉瓣病变治疗应首先瓣膜成形。     

McGoon法与Doty法矫治主动脉瓣上狭窄的比较研究

目的比较McGoon法与Doty法矫治主动脉瓣上狭窄(SVAS)的临床结果。方法 1996年10月至2008年10月外科治疗SVAS病例80例,入选本研究的患者58例。其中McGoon法矫治组35例,Doty法矫治组23例。分析比较两组术中体外循环时间,升主动脉阻断时间,术后胸腔引流量,主动脉左心室压差,主动脉瓣关闭不全发生率及术后远期主动脉左心室压差,主动脉瓣关闭不全发生率的差异。结果两组术中体外循环时间,升主动脉阻断时间,术后胸腔引流量,主动脉左心室压差,主动脉瓣关闭不全发生率均无明显差异(P0.05)。两组随访时间分别为(4.0±3.5)年及(4.5±4.2)年。随访期间,无再手术病例及死亡病例;两组主动脉左心室压差,主动脉瓣关闭不全发生率无明显差异(P0.05)。结论 McGoon法与Doty法矫治主动脉瓣上狭窄均能获得满意的近期及远期临床结果。     

先天性主动脉瓣狭窄的外科治疗

我院自1984年7月至1995年3月共收治48例先天性主动脉瓣狭窄患者，其中30例行外科治疗，占62．5％。22例主动脉瓣替换术（73．3％）中，同种动脉瓣13例，机械瓣9例。主动脉瓣交界切开术8例。术后随访1月至9年，每半年一次。治疗效果：术后早期死亡2例，死亡率6．7％；晚期死亡1例，术后1年死于感染性心内膜炎，占33％；27例随诊良好。结合先天性主动脉瓣狭窄的临床征象，对其诊断及外科治疗进行讨论。     

Impact of Surgical and Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement in Low-Gradient Aortic Stenosis: A Meta-Analysis

ObjectivesThe aim of this study was to assess the impact of aortic valve replacement (AVR) on survival in patients with each subclass of low-gradient (LG) aortic stenosis (AS) and to compare outcomes following surgical AVR (SAVR) and transcatheter AVR (TAVR).BackgroundLG severe AS encompasses a wide variety of pathophysiology, including classical low-flow, LG (LF-LG), paradoxical LF-LG, and normal-flow, LG (NF-LG) AS, and uncertainty exists regarding the impact of AVR on each subclass of LG AS.MethodsPubMed and Embase were queried through October 2020 to identify studies comparing survival with different management strategies (SAVR, TAVR, and conservative) in patients with LG AS. Pairwise meta-analysis comparing AVR versus conservative management and network meta-analysis comparing SAVR versus TAVR versus conservative management were performed.ResultsThirty-two studies with a total of 6,515 patients and a median follow-up time of 24.2 months (interquartile range: 36.5 months) were included. AVR was associated with a significant decrease in all-cause mortality in classical LF-LG (hazard ratio [HR]: 0.42; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.36 to 0.48), paradoxical LF-LG (HR: 0.41; 95% CI: 0.29 to 0.57), and NF-LG (HR: 0.41; 95% CI: 0.27 to 0.62) AS compared with conservative management. SAVR and TAVR were each associated with a decrease in all-cause mortality in classical LF-LG (HR: 0.46 [95% CI: 0.38 to 0.55] and 0.49 [95% CI: 0.37 to 0.64], respectively), paradoxical LF-LG (HR: 0.42 [95% CI: 0.28 to 0.65] and 0.42 [95% CI: 0.25 to 0.72], respectively), and NF-LG (HR: 0.40 [95% CI: 0.21 to 0.77] and 0.46 [95% CI: 0.26 to 0.84], respectively) AS compared with conservative management. No significant difference was observed between SAVR and TAVR.ConclusionsIn all subclasses of LG AS, AVR was associated with a significant decrease in all-cause mortality regardless of surgical or transcatheter approach.     

Transcatheter Versus Surgical Aortic Valve Replacement in Patients With Rheumatic Aortic Stenosis

BackgroundPatients with rheumatic aortic stenosis (AS) were excluded from transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) trials.ObjectivesThe authors sought to examine outcomes with TAVR versus surgical aortic valve replacement (SAVR) in patients with rheumatic AS, and versus TAVR in nonrheumatic AS.MethodsThe authors identified Medicare beneficiaries who underwent TAVR or SAVR from October 2015 to December 2017, and then identified patients with rheumatic AS using prior validated International Classification of Diseases, Version 10 codes. Overlap propensity score weighting analysis was used to adjust for measured confounders. The primary study outcome was all-cause mortality. Multiple secondary outcomes were also examined.ResultsThe final study cohort included 1,159 patients with rheumatic AS who underwent aortic valve replacement (SAVR, n = 554; TAVR, n = 605), and 88,554 patients with nonrheumatic AS who underwent TAVR. Patients in the SAVR group were younger and with lower prevalence of most comorbidities and frailty scores. After median follow-up of 19 months (interquartile range: 13 to 26 months), there was no difference in all-cause mortality with TAVR versus SAVR (11.2 vs. 7.0 per 100 person-year; adjusted hazard ratio: 1.53; 95% confidence interval: 0.84 to 2.79; p = 0.2). Compared with TAVR in nonrheumatic AS, TAVR for rheumatic AS was associated with similar mortality (15.2 vs. 17.7 deaths per 100 person-years (adjusted hazard ratio: 0.87; 95% confidence interval: 0.68 to 1.09; p = 0.2) after median follow-up of 17 months (interquartile range: 11 to 24 months). None of the rheumatic TAVR patients, <11 SAVR patients, and 242 nonrheumatic TAVR patients underwent repeat aortic valve replacement (124 redo-TAVR and 118 SAVR) at follow-up.ConclusionsCompared with SAVR, TAVR could represent a viable and possibly durable option for patients with rheumatic AS.     

Exercise Function of Children with Congenital Aortic Stenosis Following Aortic Valvuloplasty during Early Infancy

Objectives. The objectives of this study were to characterize the exercise function of patients treated with balloon aortic valvuloplasty at ≤6 months of age, and identify factors associated with exercise dysfunction. Background. Balloon aortic valvuloplasty is the primary therapy for neonatal aortic stenosis (AS). Residual and/or acquired abnormalities of left heart structure and function may adversely affect exercise capacity. Methods. We prospectively recruited patients >6 years old with a history of neonatal AS to undergo exercise testing. Results. We enrolled 30 patients (median age 13.1 years) who underwent balloon aortic valvuloplasty at a median age of 12 days. At time of exercise testing, the median maximum Doppler AS gradient was 34 mm Hg (0–70 mm Hg); 11 patients had moderate or severe aortic regurgitation. All patients were asymptomatic. Overall, peak oxygen consumption (VO₂) was below normal (87 ± 18% predicted; P < .001), and was severely depressed (≤70% predicted) in 7 patients (23%). Although peak O₂ pulse was well preserved overall (97 ± 22% predicted; P= .36), 11 patients had an O₂ pulse <85% predicted, including all patients with VO₂≤ 70% predicted. Peak heart rate was below normal overall (91 ± 7% predicted, P < .001), but severe chronotropic dysfunction (≤70% predicted) was rare (n = 1). Age at testing correlated inversely with peak VO₂ (R²= 0.30; P= .002). No other demographic, historical, or echocardiographic variables were associated with peak VO₂. Conclusion. Although exercise function is preserved in most patients with a history of AS treated in early infancy, a subset have markedly reduced peak VO₂, usually because of inability to increase stroke volume.     

Medium-Term Results of Balloon Valvuloplasty of Native Pulmonary Valve Stenosis with and without Supravalvular Obstruction in Childhood

Objectives: Factors influencing results of balloon valvuloplasty (BVP) of pulmonary valve stenosis (PS) in children are investigated. Background: BVP has become the standard of care for PS, medium-term results are not uniform and depend on various preconditions. Methods: We analysed the medium-term results of BVP of PS in children in an observational, single centre study. Need for additional procedure was defined as outcome after initial BVP. Results: We included 143 children (83 female) at a median (IQR) age of 2.6 (0.26–9.24) months and body weight of 5 (3.4–8) kg at BVP with a follow–up of 5.04 (1.6–10.2) years. We used balloon size of 10 (9–14) mm and maximal balloon pressure of 4 (3.5–10) atm, resulting in balloon–to–pulmonary annulus ratio of 1.28 (1.2–1.4). Systolic pressure gradient of PS was reduced with BVP (43.5 mmHg vs. 14.0 mmHg, p < 0.001) and confirmed by echocardiography (68.0 mmHg vs. 25.0 mmHg, p < 0.001) day 1 post procedure. Pulmonary BVP with associated supravalvular PS resulted in a relevant reduction of systolic pressure gradient in 23 of 31 patients (74.2%). Early additional procedure was necessary in 14 patients (9.8%) after 0.2 (0.1–0.7) years due to residual PS (n = 13) and infective endocarditis (n = 1). Factors for additional procedures were associated supravalvular PS with a higher residual pressure gradient, but not genetic syndrome. During further follow–up of 5.04 (1.6–10.2) years no further additional procedures were needed. Conclusions: Pulmonary BVP of native pulmonary valve stenosis leads to excellent medium-term results, even in 3 of 4 infants with associated supravalvular obstruction sufficient pressure relief can be obtained.     

Benefits of Early Surgical Repair in Fixed Subaortic Stenosis

Objectives. We sought to determine whether early resection can improve outcome in fixed subaortic stenosis.

Background. The diagnosis of subaortic stenosis (SAS) is often made before significant gradients occur. Whereas resection is the accepted treatment, it remains uncertain whether surgical intervention at this early stage can reduce the incidence of recurrence or influence the progression of aortic valve damage.

Methods. Follow-up was available for 75 of 83 consecutive patients operated on for fixed SAS; the average duration of follow-up was 6.7 years. The lesion was discrete in 68 patients (91%) and of a tunnel type in 7, with associated ventricular septal defect in 28 (37%). All underwent transaortic resection.

Results. There were no deaths. There were 18 recurrences of SAS in 15 patients (20%). Thirteen patients (17%) underwent 17 reoperations for recurrence or aortic valve disease. The cumulative hazard of recurrence was 8.9%, 16.1% and 29.4% ± 2.3% (mean ± SEM), and the hazard of events, including recurrence and reoperation, was 9.2%, 18.4% and 35.1% ± 3.5% at 2, 5 and 10 years, respectively. Residual end-operative left ventricular outflow tract (LVOT) gradients (>10 mm Hg, n = 8) and tunnel lesions were univariate predictors of recurrence (p = 0.0006 and p = 0.003, respectively). Multivariate predictors included higher preoperative LVOT gradient (p < 10⁻⁴) and younger patient age (p = 0.002). Only two recurrences (0.87 per 100 patient-years of follow-up) were noted in patients with a preoperative peak LVOT gradient ≤40 mm Hg (n = 40), whereas higher gradients (n = 35) were associated with a greater than sevenfold recurrence rate (6.45 events per 100 patient-years, p = 0.002). The aortic valve required concomitant repair in 17 cases in the high gradient group (48.6%) but in only 8 in the low gradient group (20%, p = 0.018). Despite relief of the obstruction, progressive aortic regurgitation was noted at follow-up after 14 procedures in the high gradient group (40%) but after only 5 procedures in the low gradient group (12.5%, p = 0.014).

Conclusions. The data suggest that surgical resection of fixed subaortic stenosis before the development of a significant (>40 mm Hg) outflow tract gradient may prevent recurrence, reoperation and secondary progressive aortic valve disease.     

Percutaneous Implantation of Aortic Valve Prosthesis in Patients with Calcific Aortic Stenosis: Technical Advances, Clinical Results and Future Strategies

To date, one third of patients with symptomatic aortic stenosis are not operated on because of advanced age, depressed left ventricular function, or comorbidities. Whereas balloon aortic valvuloplasty can be used as a palliative treatment in this population, the hemodynamic and clinical benefits of the procedure are only temporary. With the goal of offering to this subset of patients a nonsurgical therapeutic option with improved results and longer term positive outcomes, we developed a percutaneous implantable bioprosthetic heart valve able to be inserted within the native diseased aortic valve using cardiac catheterization techniques. The first human implant was performed by our group in April 2002 using the antegrade transeptal approach. Since then, we have implanted the valve on compassionate basis in a series of nonsurgical elderly patients with end-stage aortic stenosis and multiple comorbidities, all declined by cardiac surgeons for valve replacement. This article describes the technical improvements of the device and implantation protocols, provides clinical results of the first series of patients, and outlines strategies for future development of the percutaneous heart valve.     

Transcatheter Versus Surgical Aortic Valve Replacement in Young,Low-Risk Patients With Severe Aortic Stenosis

Transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) is approved for all patient risk profiles and is an option for all patients irrespective of age. However, patients enrolled in the low- and intermediate-risk trials were in their 70s, and those in the high-risk trials were in their 80s. TAVR has never been systematically tested in young (<65 years), low-risk patients. Unanswered questions remain, including the safety and effectiveness of TAVR in patients with bicuspid aortic valves; future coronary access; durability of transcatheter heart valves; technical considerations for surgical transcatheter heart valve explantation; management of concomitant conditions such as aortopathy, mitral valve disease, and coronary artery disease; and the safety and feasibility of future TAVR-in-TAVR. The authors predict that balancing these questions with patients’ clear preference for less invasive treatment will become common. In this paper, the authors consider each of these questions and discuss risks and benefits of theoretical treatment strategies in the lifetime management of young patients with severe aortic stenosis.     

Surgical Treatment of BPH: Technique and Results

In the past decade, there have been significant changes in the available treatment options for lower urinary tract symptoms secondary to benign prostatic enlargement. New forms of medical and minimally invasive treatments have been introduced, while other therapies have become obsolete and well-established surgical treatments are being reassessed. Standard surgical options include: transurethral resection of the prostate (TURP), transurethral incision of the prostate (TUIP), and open prostatectomy (adenoma enucleation through a suprapubic transvesical or a retropubic approach) and a discussion of these treatment options is provided in this article. These techniques can still be considered the surgical standard for their respective indications to which other therapies should be compared. The rate of complication is low and the clinical outcome due to removal of the obstruction is excellent and durable over time.     

Percutaneous Balloon Aortic Valvuloplasty and Clinical Outcomes in Severe Aortic Stenosis: Correlation of Procedural Technique and Efficacy

Background

Percutaneous balloon aortic valvuloplasty (PBAV) is a palliative therapeutic option for relief of severe aortic stenosis (AS) in patients that are poor surgical or transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) candidates or as a bridge to definitive therapy. The outcomes following PBAV are highly variable and studies identifying factors that correlate with outcomes are sparse. The purpose of this study was to identify predictors at the time of the index procedures that can predict 1‐year survival or need for repeat PBAV.

Methods

Demographic and procedural information of 505 PBAVs performed on 388 patients from January 1999 to December 2012 at the Deborah Heart and Lung Center were reviewed. Procedural data were compared across many variables and outcomes to identify predictors of outcomes. These predictors were statistically compared using chi‐squared tests or Student's t‐test.

Results

Of the 388 patients analyzed, 145 (37.4%) expired within 1 year following the index procedure. The cohort was then stratified into 3 groups based on the number of balloon inflations. They were similar with regard to baseline characteristics. The mean age was 81.9 ± 9 years. Males constituted 51% of the cohort. Patients who underwent 2 and 3+ inflations had a 47.6% and 93.0% increase in the postprocedural aortic valve area compared to patients who had only 1 inflation. Patients who underwent 3+ inflations were significantly less likely to require a repeat PABV within a year and the repeat procedure free survival rate of 94.5% (P = 0.009). Despite improvement in valve area, there was no statistically significant difference in 1 year mortality between the groups (28.8% vs 42.9% vs 46.1% for 1 vs 2 vs 3+ inflations, respectively).

Conclusions

PBAV provides a modest improvement in valve function and continues to be a safe and feasible option in experienced hands for select patients that are high risk for surgery or TAVR. The use of additional inflations during PBAV resulted in better long‐term outcomes.