Abstract
Background Transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) for a degenerated surgical bioprosthesis
(valve-in-valve [ViV]) has become an established procedure. Elevated gradients and
patient-prosthesis mismatch (PPM) have previously been reported in mixed TAVR cohorts.
We analyzed our single-center experience using the third-generation self-expanding
Medtronic Evolut R prosthesis, with an emphasis on the incidence and outcomes of PPM.
Methods This is a retrospective analysis of prospectively collected data from our TAVR database.
Intraprocedural and intrahospital outcomes are reported.
Results Eighty-six patients underwent ViV-TAVR with the Evolut R prosthesis. Mean age was
75.5 ± 9.5 years, 64% were males. The mean log EuroScore was 21.6 ± 15.7%. The mean
time between initial surgical valve implantation and ViV-TAVR was 8.8 ± 3.2 years.
The mean true internal diameter of the implanted surgical valves was 20.9 ± 2.2 mm.
Post-AVR, 60% had no PPM, 34% had moderate PPM, and 6% had severe PPM. After ViV-TAVR,
33% had no PPM, 29% had moderate, and 39% had severe PPM. After implantation, the
mean transvalvular gradient was reduced significantly from 36.4 ± 15.2 to 15.5 ± 9.1 mm
Hg (p < 0.001). No patient had more than mild aortic regurgitation after ViV-TAVR. No conversion
to surgery was necessary. Estimated Kaplan–Meier survival at 1 year for all patients
was 87.4%. One-year survival showed no significant difference according to post-ViV
PPM groups (p = 0.356).
Conclusion ViV-TAVR using a supra-annular valve resulted in low procedural and in-hospital complication
rates. However, moderate or severe PPM was common, with no influence on short-term
survival. PPM may not be a suitable factor to predict survival after ViV-TAVR.
Keywords
heart valve - transapical - percutaneous - TAVI - aortic valve and root - reoperation