Faculty Bibliography

This paper provides a comprehensive overview of 3D transesophageal echocardiography still images and movies of mechanical mitral valves, mitral bioprostheses, and mitral valve repairs. Alongside these visual descriptions, the historical overview of surgical and percutaneous mitral valve intervention is described with the special emphasis on the incremental value of 3D transesophageal echocardiography (3DTEE). For each mitral valve intervention, 2D echocardiography, chest x-ray, and fluoroscopy images corresponding to 3DTEE are given. In addition, key references on echocardiographic imaging of individual valves and procedures are enumerated in accompanying figures and tables.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to examine 1-year outcomes of transseptal balloon-expandable transcatheter heart valve implantation in failed mitral bioprosthesis, ring annuloplasty, and mitral annular calcification (MAC). BACKGROUND: Immediate outcomes following transseptal mitral valve implantation in failed bioprostheses are favorable, but data on subsequent outcomes are lacking. METHODS: Percutaneous transseptal implantation of balloon-expandable transcatheter heart valves was performed in 87 patients with degenerated mitral bioprostheses (valve in valve [VIV]) (n = 60), previous ring annuloplasty (valve in ring) (n = 15), and severe MAC (valve in MAC) (n = 12). RESULTS: The mean Society of Thoracic Surgeons risk score was 13 +/- 8%, and the mean age was 75 +/- 11 years. Acute procedural success was achieved in 78 of 87 patients (90%) in the overall group and 58 of 60 (97%) in the VIV group, with a success rate of 20 of 27 (74%) in the valve in ring/valve in MAC group. Thirty-day survival free of death and cardiovascular surgery was 95% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 92% to 97%) in the VIV subgroup and 78% (95% CI: 70% to 86%) in the valve in ring/valve in MAC group (p = 0.008). One-year survival free of death and cardiovascular surgery was 86% (95% CI: 81% to 91%) in the VIV group compared with 68% (95% CI: 58% to 78%) (p = 0.008). At 1 year, 36 of 40 patients (90%) had New York Heart Association functional class I or II symptoms, no patients had more than mild residual mitral prosthetic or periprosthetic regurgitation, and the mean transvalvular gradient was 7 +/- 3 mm Hg. CONCLUSIONS: One-year outcomes following successful transseptal balloon-expandable transcatheter heart valve implantation in high-risk patients with degenerated mitral bioprostheses are excellent, characterized by durable symptom relief and prosthesis function. Although mitral valve in ring and valve in MAC have higher operative morbidity and mortality, 1-year outcomes after an initially successful procedure are favorable in carefully selected patients.

Objective: The longer dosing interval afforded by Del Nido cardioplegia (DNC) may simplify myocardial protection strategies. We analyzed the impact and safety of DNC in patients undergoing minimally invasive aortic valve replacement. Methods: Institutional use of DNC began in May 2013; we analyzed all isolated minimally invasive aortic valve replacements during this transition (May 2013-June 2015), excluding reoperative sternotomy patients. The approach was hemi-median sternotomy in all patients. Prospectively collected local and Society of Thoracic Surgeons database data were used. Patients were divided into 2 cohorts: those who received 4:1 crystalloid:blood DNC solution and those in whom standard 1:4 Buckberg-based cardioplegia (BC) was used. One-to-one propensity case matching of DNC to Buckberg-based cardioplegia was performed based on standard risk factors, and differences between groups were analyzed using X² and nonparametric methods. Results: Minimally invasive aortic valve replacement was performed in 181 patients; DNC was usedin 59 and Buckberg-based cardioplegia in 122. Case matching resulted in 59 patients per cohort. DNC was associated with reduced re-dosing [5/59 (8.5%) vs. 39/59 (61.0%), P<0.001] and less total cardioplegia volume (1290 ml+/-347 ml vs. 2284 ml+/-828 ml, P<0.001). Antegrade cardioplegia alone was used in 89.8% (53/59) of DNC patients versus 33.9% (20/59) of patients receiving Buckberg-based cardioplegia (P<0.001). Median bypass and aortic cross-clamp times were similar. Clinical outcomes were similar with respect to postoperative hematocrit, transfusion requirements, need for inotropic/pressor support, duration of stay in the intensive care unit, re-intubation, length of hospital stay, new onset atrial fibrillation, and mortality rate. Table SA15-1 contains demographics, cardioplegia delivery methods, and results. Conclusions: DNC usage markedly simplifies cardioplegia strategy for minimally invasive aortic valve replacement. Patient safety was not compromised with this technique. (Table pasented)

BACKGROUND: Nearly 17% of patients are readmitted within 30 days of discharge after transcatheter aortic valve replacement. Selected patients are discharged to skilled nursing facilities, yet the association between a hospital's practice to discharge home versus to skilled nursing facilities, and readmission remains unclear. METHODS AND RESULTS: The Society of Thoracic Surgeons/American College of Cardiology Transcatheter Valve Therapy (STS/ACC TVT) Registry was used to evaluate readmissions among patients undergoing transcatheter aortic valve replacement (2011-2015). Hospitals were divided into quartiles (Q1-Q4) based on the percentage of patients discharged directly home. We assessed patient and hospital level characteristics and used hierarchical logistic regression to analyze the association of discharge disposition with 30-day readmission. Our cohort included 18 568 transcatheter aortic valve replacement patients at 329 US hospitals, of whom 69% were discharged directly home. Hospitals in the highest quartile of direct home discharge (Q4) compared with hospitals in the lowest (Q1) were more likely to use femoral access (75.2% versus 60.1%, P<0.001), had fewer patients receiving transfusion (26.4% versus 40.9%, P<0.001), and were more likely to be located in the Southern United States (48.8% versus 18.3%, P<0.001). Median 30-day readmission rate was 17.9%. There was no significant difference in 30-day readmissions among quartiles (P=0.14), even after multivariable adjustment (odds ratio Q4 versus Q1=0.89, 95%CI 0.76-1.04; P=0.15). Factors most strongly associated with 30-day readmission were glomerular filtration rate, in-hospital stroke or transient ischemic attack, and nonfemoral access. CONCLUSIONS: There was no statistically significant association between hospital practice of direct home discharge post-transcatheter aortic valve replacement and 30-day readmission. Further research is needed to understand regional variations and optimum strategies for postdischarge care.

BACKGROUND: Bundled Payments for Care Improvement (BPCI) initiatives were developed by Medicare in an effort to reduce expenditures while preserving quality of care. Payment model 2 reimburses based on a target price for 90-day episode of care postprocedure. The challenge for valve patients is the historically high (>35%) 90-day readmission rate. We analyzed our institutional cardiac surgical service line adaptation to this initiative. METHODS: On May 1, 2015, we instituted a readmission reduction initiative (RRI) that included presurgical risk stratification, comprehensive predischarge planning, and standardized postdischarge management led by cardiac nurse practitioners (CNPs) who attempt to guide any postdischarge encounters (PDEs). A prospective database also was developed, accruing data on all cardiac surgery patients discharged after RRI initiation. We analyzed detailed PDEs for all valve patients with complete 30-day follow-up through November 2015. RESULTS: Patients included 219 surgical patients and 126 transcatheter patients. Sixty-four patients had 79 PDEs. Of these 79 PDEs, 46 (58.2%) were guided by CNPs. PDEs were due to fluid overload/effusion (21, 27%), arrhythmia (17, 22%), bleeding/thromboembolic events (13, 16%), and falls/somatic complaints (12, 15%). Thirty-day readmission rate was 10.1% (35/345). Patients with transcatheter aortic valve replacement had a higher rate of readmission than surgical patients (15.0% vs 6.9%), but were older with more comorbidities. The median readmission length of stay was 2.0 days (interquartile range 1.0-5.0 days). Compared with 2014, the 30-day readmission rate for BPCI decreased from 18% (44/248) to 11% (20/175), P = .05. CONCLUSIONS: Our reengineering of pre/postdischarge management of BPCI valve patients under tight CNP control has significantly reduced costly 30-day readmissions in this high-risk population.