Objectives: The wide application of transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) is bordered
also because of paravalvular leak (PVL). Multislice computed tomography (MSCT) analysis
of aortic calcifications might lead to better preoperative planning and consequently
a reduction of PLV. Aim our study was to investigate PVL after the implantation of
4 different transcatheter heart valve prostheses by means of aortic calcium degree.
Methods: We retrospectively analyzed prospectively collected data from patients receiving
a TAVI at our center. Only patients with severe native aortic valve stenosis were
included in the study. Aortic calcium volume was calculated in the aortic root, left
ventricular outflow tract and both (=device landing zone or “DLZ”) from the preoperative
contrast-enhanced MSCT using a dedicated software 3mensio Structural Heart (v7.0SP1,
Medical Imaging BV, the Netherlands). Risk factors for PVL were analyzed using a multivariate
analysis.
Results: Between October 2009 and 2016, 711 patients underwent TAVI. 539 patients were eligible
for the study (SapienXT = 192; Sapien3 = 206; Corevalve = 44; Symetis = 97). All patients
underwent TAVI because of high surgical or prohibitive risk. In the study population
transfemoral TAVI was performed in 66% of cases. Median calcium volume in DLZ was
757 mm3 (IQR = 734) and distribution was not different between prosthetist groups (ANOVA
test p > 0.05). Severe PVL was 0%. Overall incidence of mild-to-moderate PVL was 15.8% (SapienXT = 17.7%;
Sapien3 = 6.8%; Corevalve = 31.8%; Symetis = 23.7%). Multivariate analysis based on
preoperative clinical and MSCT characteristics identified critical risk factors such
as calcium volume of DLZ, transapical access, use of Corevalve and Symetis as independently
associated with PVL. Preoperative permanent dialysis, oversizing and use of Sapien3
were independently associated with a lower incidence of PVL. Receiver operating characteristic
analysis of calcium volume in DLZ showed an area under the curve of 0.66 (95%CI:0.617–0.699,p = 0.0001) meaning an acceptable discrimination. A cutoff higher than 1079 mm3 has been identified as a limit beyond which significantly increases the risk of PVL.
Conclusions: DLZ's calcium volume influences significantly PVL's occurrence after TAVI. Its measurement
in procedural planning should become a routine to reduce PVL. The presence of a DLZ's
volume calcification higher than 1079mm3, should influence the strategy, including choice of prosthesis and sizing.