“Valve-in-valve” technique is an effective method to treat the bioprosthesis structural valve degeneration. In this paper, an 82-year-old male patient with severe aortic valve regurgitation had underwent surgical aortic valve replacement. He had a bioprosthesis structural valve degeneration which caused severe aortic stenosis more than 3 years after surgery. His symptoms of chest distress and short breath were aggravated progressively, and not relieved by conventional treatment. As the deterioration in his unstabled circulation system, an emergency transcatheter aortic valve replacement was conducted for him. The operation was finally successful, the symptoms were relived significantly after operation, and then the follow-up indicated that he had a good recovery.
ObjectiveTo evaluate the efficiency and safety of intraprocedural valve-in-valve deployment for treatment of aortic regurgitation following transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR).MethodsConsecutive patients (n=333) who diagnosed with severe aortic stenosis and underwent TAVR in Zhongshan Hospital affiliated to Fudan University from October 3rd, 2010 to April 21st, 2021 were included. There were 208 males and 125 females aged 76.0±7.0 years. There were 316 patients underwent simple TAVR (simple TAVR group) and 17 patients underwent intraprocedural valve-in-valve deployment following TAVR (valve-in-valve group). Their clinical and echocardiographic outcomes were evaluated and compared.ResultsThere was no significant difference between the two groups of patients at postoperative 30 d and 1 year in all-cause mortality (4.4% vs. 0, P=1.000; 6.3% vs. 0, P=1.000), incidence of pacemaker implantation (10.4% vs. 17.6%, P=1.000; 11.8% vs. 17.6%, P=1.000), incidence of ischemic stroke (1.3% vs. 0, P=1.000; 1.3% vs. 0, P=1.000), mean trans-aortic pressure gradient (11.4±6.4 mm Hg vs. 8.9±4.9 mm Hg, P=0.099; 10.5±7.6 mm Hg vs. 11.2±5.2 mm Hg, P=0.432), left ventricular ejection fraction (62.0%±9.0% vs. 57.0%±12.0%, P=0.189; 63.0%±7.0% vs. 60.0%±8.0%, P=0.170), and incidence of mitral valve dysfunction (0.6% vs. 5.9%, P=1.000; 0.6% vs. 5.9%, P=1.000).ConclusionIt is feasible to treat perivalvular leakage with valve-in-valve technology in the procedure of TAVR, and the short and medium-term effects are satisfied.
Along with the coming of aged society, the prevalence of heart valvular disease is significantly increasing, and the use of bioprosthetic valves for treating patients with severe valve disease has increased over the last two decades. As a consequence, a growing number of patients with surgical bioprosthesis degeneration is predicted in the near future. In this setting, valve-in-valve (ViV) transcatheter aortic/mitral valve replacement (TAVR/TMVR) has emerged as an alternative to redo surgery. A deep knowledge of the mechanism and features of the failed bioprosthetic heart valve is pivotal to plan an adequate procedure. Multimodal imaging is fundamental in the diagnostic and pre-procedural phases. The immediate and mid-term clinical and hemodynamic results have demonstrated the safety and feasibility of ViV techniques, but the development of these techniques faces several specific challenges, such as coronary obstruction, potential post-procedural mismatch and leaflet thrombosis. This article reviews the current status and prospects of ViV-TAVR technology in the treatment for biological valve degeneration, and suggests that ViV-TAVR should be promoted and implemented in existing medical centers with good surgical aortic valve replacement experience, so as to provide better treatment for patients.
Objective To summarize the early results and clinical experience of using the J-Valve for transcatheter valve-in-valve implantation in patients with degenerated bioprosthesis at different anatomic positions. Methods A retrospective analysis was conducted to evaluate the short-term outcomes of 39 consecutive patients who underwent transcatheter valve-in-valve implantation using the J-Valve System in the Department of Cardiac Surgery of Guangdong Provincial People’s Hospital from April 2020 to August 2021 due to bioprosthetic degeneration at different anatomic positions. Among them, 35 patients underwent transcatheter mitral valve-in-valve (TMViV) implantation, 1 transcatheter aortic valve-in-valve (TAViV) implantation, 1 transcatheter tricuspid valve-in-valve (TTViV) implantation, 1 TMViV implantation with simultaneous TAViV implantation, and another one TMViV implantation with simultaneous transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) and perivalvular leakage (PVL) closure. Results Among the 35 patients who underwent isolated TMViV implantation, 17 were male and 18 were female with a mean age of 72.6±10.8 years. Mean duration between two operations was 10.5±2.7 years. The mean Society of Thoracic Surgeons and EuroSCORE Ⅱ scores were 12.95%±9.61% and 13.91%±8.94%, respectively. The device success rate was 97.1% and no death occured during the operation. One patient was transferred to thoracotomy due to device displacement, 1 was re-opened for uncontrolled bleeding, and 1 presented left ventricular outflow tract obstruction. One patient underwent craniotomy due to intracranial hemorrhage within 30 days after surgery, and no other complications occurred including death, stroke, permanent pacemaker implantation, cardiac tamponade, or re-hospitalization. The mean follow-up time was 6.0±4.4 months, the mean mitral valve gradient was significantly improved (10.4±2.0 mm Hg vs. 5.5±1.2 mm Hg, P<0.05), and the New York Heart Association class≤Ⅱ in all the patients at the last follow-up. Among the other 4 patients who did not undergo isolated TMViV implantation, the transapical TAViV implantation and the trans-right atrium TTViV implantation were successful without intra- or post-operative complications. The patient who underwent TMViV and TAViV implantation simultaneously via transapical approach died of severe pulmonary hemorrhage and multiple organ failure 16 days after surgery. The other patient who underwent transapical TMViV combined with TAVR and PVL closure died of septic shock 10 days after the surgery. Conclusion Transcatheter valve-in-valve implantation using the J-Valve system is shown to be a safe and effective procedure to treat mitral, aortic and tricuspid bioprosthetic valve dysfunction in high-risk patients, providing a new alternative to surgical surgery for degenerated bioprosthesis at different anatomic positions. However, simultaneous different valves intervention should be very cautious.
This article reports a case of a 70-year-old female patient who developed bioprosthetic mitral valve deterioration 4 months after her initial valve replacement surgery, manifesting as severe regurgitation and New York Heart Association Class Ⅲ. Due to the high risk of a redo open-heart surgery, she underwent a transapical transcatheter mitral valve-in-valve procedure. Intraoperatively, a J-Valve prosthesis was successfully implanted under echocardiographic and fluoroscopic guidance. Immediate transesophageal echocardiography confirmed an optimal valve position, complete resolution of regurgitation, and no significant paravalvular leak or left ventricular outflow tract obstruction. The patient's postoperative course was uneventful. She was extubated 16 hours post-procedure with significant improvement in cardiac function. Follow-up echocardiography showed normal prosthetic valve function.
Abstract： Objective To investigate the early and mid-term outcomes of morphologic tricuspid valve replacement by means of intravalvular implantation in corrected transposition of great arteries（cTGA）. Methods From January 2009 to January 2012，11 patients with cTGA were surgically treated in Fu Wai Hospital. There were 9 male patients and 2 female patients with their mean of age of（37.8±11.7）years and mean body weight of（73.0±11.3）kg. All the patients underwent morphologic tricuspid valve replacement with preservation of the entire valvular and subvalvular apparatus. Simultaneous surgical procedures included repair of ventricular septal defect in 2 patients，repair of atrial septal defect in 4 patients，pulmonary valvuloplasty in 1 patient，reconstruction of functional right ventricular outflow tract in 4 patients and repair of coronary-pulmonary artery fistula in 1 patient. Postoperative New York Heart Association （NYHA） classification, cardiothoracic ratio, morphological right ventricle ejection fraction, end-diastolic dimension of morphological right ventricle and left atrium were evaluated during follow-up. Results All the 11 patients were successfully surgically treated and followed up for an average duration of（13.0±10.6）months. There was no statistical difference between postoperative and preoperative average cardiothoracic ratio （0.54±0.06 vs. 0.57±0.09，t=1.581，P＞0.05），morphologic right ventricle ejection fraction （52.8%±9.0% vs. 54.9%±9.5%, t =0.712，P＞0.05），and end-diastolic dimension of . morphological right ventricle （54.3±7.5 mm vs. 56.9±9.2 mm，t =0.988，P＞0.05）. There was statistical difference between postoperative and preoperative average end-diastolic dimension of left atrium（42.1±8.9 mm vs. 53.4±11.1 mm，t =3.286，P＜0.05）and NYHA classification（Z = -2.640，P＜0.05）. Conclusion Intravalvular implantation of morphologic tricuspid prosthesis can protect the physiological structure of morphologic right ventricular and prevent furtherdamage to its function caused by morphologic tricuspid valve insufficiency. Postoperative dimension of morphologic left atrium and cardiac function are significantly improved. The early and mid-term outcomes are satisfactory．
ObjectiveTo determine the clinical efficacy of transapical transcatheter mitral valve-in-valve treatment for patients with deteriorated mitral bioprosthesis after aortic-mitral double valve replacement.MethodsThe clinical data of 9 patients who underwent transapical transcatheter mitral valve-in-valve implantation after aortic-mitral double valve replacement due to mitral bioprosthesis deterioration from May 2020 to January 2021 in our hospital were retrospectively analyzed, including 4 males and 5 females with a mean age of 72.44±7.57 years.ResultsSurgeries were performed successfully in all patients with no conversion to median sternotomy. The mean procedural time was 101.33±48.49 min, the mechanical ventilation time was 23.11±26.54 h, the ICU stay was 1.89±1.05 d and the postoperative hospital stay was 6.11±2.02 d. Residual mild mitral regurgitation was only observed in 1 patient. Only 1 patient needed postoperative blood transfusion. No major complications were observed in all patients. There was no death in postoperative 90 days.ConclusionFor patients with deteriorated mitral bioprosthesis after aortic-mitral double valve replacement, transapical transcatheter mitral valve-in-valve implantation achieves good clinical results and effectively improves the hemodynamics without increasing the risk of postoperative left ventricular outflow tract obstruction. The surgery is feasible and effective.
Objective To evaluate the clinical efficacy of valve-in-valve transcatheter mitral valve replacement for the management of degenerated bioprosthetic mitral valves. Methods This study retrospectively analyzed the clinical data of patients who underwent transcatheter mitral valve replacement due to degenerated bioprosthetic mitral valves at the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University from 2020 to 2023. The analysis included baseline characteristics, surgical details, perioperative complications, and hemodynamic changes during the early postoperative period and subsequent follow-up. Results A total of 31 patients were included in the study, comprising 7 males and 24 females, with an average age of (66.57±9.32) years. The average duration since the initial surgical placement of the bioprosthetic valves was (9.92±3.71) years. The procedures included 7 patients utilizing the transfemoral venous-atrial septal approach and 24 patients employing the transapical approach. All patients exhibited significant improvement in cardiac function postoperatively, with a reduction in the number of patients classified as New York Heart Association (NYHA) grade Ⅲ or Ⅳ and those with moderate to severe tricuspid valve regurgitation. Echocardiographic assessments revealed a decrease in peak flow velocity across the mitral valve and a reduction in the average transvalvular pressure gradient, while left ventricular ejection fraction remained unchanged. One patient experienced a recurrent stroke and died on the fifth postoperative day; however, the remaining patients were discharged without complications, including cardiac death, all-cause mortality, or outflow tract obstruction. During a median follow-up period of 12 months, no adverse events were reported, and hemodynamic stability was maintained. Conclusion Valve-in-valve transcatheter mitral valve replacement is a safe and effective option for patients with degenerated bioprosthetic mitral valves, demonstrating favorable hemodynamic outcomes and satisfactory short-term clinical results.
Mitral valve replacement is one of the most common heart valve surgeries in China. In recent years, with the increase in degenerative valve diseases, older patients, and the progress of anti-calcification technology of biological valves, the proportion of mitral valve biological valve replacement has been increasing year by year. After the damage of traditional mitral valve biological valves, re-operation of valve replacement with thoracotomy is required. However, the adhesion between the heart and sternum, as well as the damage caused by cardiopulmonary bypass and cardiac arrest, can cause significant trauma to elderly patients and those with multiple organ dysfunction, leading to increased mortality and complication rates. In recent years, interventional valve surgery, especially transcatheter valve-in-valve surgery, has developed rapidly. This procedure can correct the damaged mitral valve function without stopping the heart, but there are still many differences between its technical process and conventional aortic valve replacement surgery. Therefore, organizing and writing multicenter expert recommendations on the technical process of transcatheter valve-in-valve surgery for damaged mitral valve biological valves is of great significance for the training and promotion of this technology.
