5-year experience with transcatheter transapical mitral valve-in-valve implantation for bioprosthetic valve dysfunction.

OBJECTIVES: The study sought to describe the authors' experience with mitral transapical transcatheter valve-in-valve implantation (TVIV).

BACKGROUND: Increasing numbers of mitral biological prostheses are being implanted in clinical practice. Transcatheter valve-in-valve implantation may be a lower risk alternative treatment for high-risk patients with mitral valve degeneration.

METHODS: Twenty-three consecutive patients with severe mitral bioprosthetic valve dysfunction underwent transapical mitral TVIV between July 2007 and September 2012. Bioprosthetic failure was secondary to stenosis in 6 (26.1%), regurgitation in 9 (39.1%), and combined in 8 (34.8%) patients.

RESULTS: All patients were elderly (mean age 81 ± 6 years) and at high-risk for conventional redo surgery (Society of Thoracic Surgeons score 12.1 ± 6.8%). Successful transapical mitral TVIV was accomplished in all patients using balloon expandable valves (Edwards Lifesciences, Irvine, California) with no intraoperative major complications. One (4.4%) major stroke and 6 (26.1%) major bleeds were reported during hospitalization. Mitral transvalvular gradient significantly decreased from 11.1 ± 4.6 mm Hg to 6.9 ± 2.2 mm Hg following the procedure (p < 0.01). Intervalvular mitral regurgitation was absent (47.8%) or mild (52.2%) in all cases after mitral TVIV. No cases of transvalvular regurgitation were seen. All patients were alive on 30-day follow-up. At a median follow-up of 753 days (interquartile range: 376 to 1,119 days) survival was 90.4%. One patient underwent successful mitral TVIV reintervention at 2 months due to atrial migration of the transcatheter valve. All patients alive were in New York Heart Association functional class I/II with good prosthetic valve performance.

CONCLUSIONS: Transcatheter transapical mitral valve-in-valve implantation for dysfunctional biological mitral prosthesis can be performed with minimal operative morbidity and mortality and favorable midterm clinical and hemodynamic outcomes.