Ulrik Hvass

The papillary muscle sling for ischemic mitral regurgitation

OBJECTIVE Our objective was to evaluate long-term stability of mitral repair and reverse remodeling in patients with severe ischemic left ventricular dysfunction and functional mitral regurgitation. METHODS Since June 2000, a total of 37 patients with ischemic functional mitral regurgitation have benefited from a double-level mitral repair that comprises an intraventricular peripapillary muscle sling completed by a classic intra-atrial mitral annuloplasty ring (mean age, 56 years; left ventricular end-diastolic diameter, 70 +/- 0 mm; left ventricular end-systolic diameter, 55 +/- 5.6 mm; ejection fraction, 15% to 45%; pulmonary hypertension > 60 in all patients; all were in New York Heart Association class III-IV). All patients had both papillary muscles encircled with a 4-mm polytetrafluoroethylene tube, correcting their lateral and downward displacement. Annuloplasty rings were moderately undersized or normal. Efficiency was evaluated on mitral stability, ventricular parameters, and functional status. According to the Leyden algorithm based on preoperative end-diastolic and end-systolic left ventricular diameters, only a minority of our patients were expected to experience reverse remodeling. RESULTS Regurgitation is none to trivial in 31 and mild to moderate in 4. Follow-up (3-84 months; mean, 55 +/- 22 months) shows stability of all initially successful double-level mitral repairs. Follow-up beyond 1 year shows improvements in ventricular diameters (56 +/- 5 mm), ejection fraction (49 +/- 6), volume (130 +/- 10 mL), and sphericity index (0.55). Two patients died during follow-up and 1 underwent transplantation. CONCLUSION Reapproximating the papillary muscles has an immediate effect on mitral leaflet mobility by suppressing the tethering resulting from displacement of the papillary muscles. It has an effect in preventing recurrent mitral regurgitation by avoiding further papillary muscle displacement. In this cohort of severely disabled patients, reverse remodeling can be expected with the double-level repair.

Multicenter study of stentless valve replacement in the small aortic root

OBJECTIVE A clinical study was conducted to evaluate the results of stentless porcine valves in patients with a small aortic root (19- and 21-mm aortic anulus). METHODS Of 567 patients, from 4 surgical institutions, 171 patients (30.1%) had a small aortic root, comprising 163 cases with calcified aortic stenosis and 8 cases with predominant valvular insufficiency. Sixty patients had associated mitral or coronary lesions. Mean age was 72 +/- 4.2 years. Forty-seven patients with a small aortic root had a 19-mm anulus, and 124 patients had a 21-mm anulus. The body surface area was, respectively, 1.55 +/- 0.2 m2 and 1.78 +/- 0.45 m2. Hemodynamic evaluation of the stentless valve comprised serial measures of mean gradients, effective orifice area, and left ventricular mass reduction. Complication rates for secondary events were evaluated over a 6-year period. RESULTS The hospital mortality rate was 3.5%. The mean gradients after the first year were 9 +/- 2 mm Hg and 6 +/- 1.7 mm Hg in patients with a 19-mm and a 21-mm anulus, respectively. Effective orifice area was 1.45 +/- 0.3 cm2 and 1.72 +/- 0.4 cm2. Gradients and surfaces remained stable throughout the study period. Aortic regurgitation was zero to trace. Left ventricular mass at discharge and at 1 year were, respectively, 296 +/- 127 g and 215 +/- 102 g for patients with a 19-mm anulus and 281 +/- 75 g and 236 +/- 15 g for patients with a 21-mm anulus. CONCLUSIONS Stentless valves are a suitable device for elderly patients with small aortic roots, which leave only mild residual obstruction.

Role of radiolabelled leucocyte scintigraphy in patients with a suspicion of prosthetic valve endocarditis and inconclusive echocardiography

AIMS In patients with a suspicion of prosthetic valve endocarditis (PVE), detection of perivalvular infection can be difficult based only on echocardiography. The aim of this retrospective study was to test the interest of radiolabelled leucocyte scintigraphy (LS) for the detection of perivalvular infection in patients with a suspicion of PVE and inconclusive transoesophageal echocardiography (TEE). METHODS AND RESULTS LS was performed in 42 patients. The results of LS were classified as positive in the cardiac area (intense or mild), or negative. Macroscopical aspects and bacteriology were obtained from patients who underwent cardiac surgery (n = 10). Clinical outcome was collected in patients treated medically (n = 32). Among patients with intense signal with LS who underwent surgery (n = 6), five had an abscess confirmed during intervention and one, post-operatively. Patients with intense accumulation of radiolabelled leucocytes with scintigraphy and treated medically (n = 3) had a poor outcome: death (n = 1); prosthetic valve dehiscence (n = 1); and recurrent endocarditis (n = 1). Among patients with mild activity with LS (n = 5), one patient developed a large prosthetic valve dehiscence during the follow-up. The remaining four patients were treated medically and did not present any recurrent endocarditis after a median follow-up of 14 months. No abscess was detected in patients with negative LS who underwent surgery (n = 4). Among the patients with negative LS treated medically (n = 24), none presented recurrent endocarditis after a mean follow-up of 15 ± 16 months. Patient management was influenced by the results of LS in 12 out of 42 patients (29%). CONCLUSION This study suggests that LS is useful for the identification of perivalvular infection in patients with a suspicion of PVE and inconclusive TEE.

Transfemoral implantation of an Edwards SAPIEN valve in a tricuspid bioprosthesis without fluoroscopic landmarks.

AIMS We describe the first report of an Edwards SAPIEN valve implanted in a tricuspid bioprosthesis from the femoral vein. We highlight the feasibility of this previously avoided approach and the techniques involved. METHODS AND RESULTS A 61-year-old woman with multiple valve replacements for rheumatic heart disease presented with NHYA IV dyspnoea secondary to a severely stenosed tricuspid bioprosthesis. After failed aggressive medical therapy and surgical turn down, an Edwards SAPIEN XT valve was deployed in the tricuspid bioprosthesis via the right femoral vein. Adaptations to the standard transfemoral transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) technique included: (1) crossing the tricuspid bioprosthesis with a balloon floatation catheter; (2) temporary pacing wire in the coronary sinus rather than the right ventricle; (3) mounting of the SAPIEN XT valve in the reverse orientation to transfemoral TAVI; and (4) fine positioning of the final valve position pre-deployment by 3D transoesophageal echocardiography (3D TOE) alone due to complete radiolucency of the tricuspid bioprosthesis. The procedure was completed without complication and resulted in significant symptomatic improvement. CONCLUSIONS Deployment of an Edwards SAPIEN valve in a tricuspid bioprosthesis via the femoral vein is feasible and, with careful adaptations to established TAVI techniques, can be performed without complications and with good clinical response.

Valve-in-valve implantation in a patient with stentless bioprosthesis and severe intraprosthetic aortic regurgitation.

CONCLUSIONS There is a current worldwide trend toward preferential use of biological rather than mechanical aortic prostheses in younger age groups. The expanding applicability of minimally invasive techniques may augment this trend, further lowering the recommended age for tissue aortic valve recipients. The stentless valve design may prove advantageous in case of subsequent VinV therapy. If this proves to be true, it could lead to an increased use of stentless valves. The role of the transcatheter VinV procedure as an alternative to conventional redo aortic valve replacement needs to be determined. Clearly, this technique and platform will play a role in the future, with the parameters of patient selection and specific surgeon/physician to be defined.

Compassionate aortic valve implantation for severe aortic regurgitation

FIGURE 1. Severe aortic regurgitation (AR) as observed by means of preproce analysis caused by rheumatic aortic valve disease. Postimplantation angiograph position of the CoreValve System and trivial paraprosthetic leak. LV, Left ventr From the AP–HP, Bichat–Claude Bernard Hospital, Paris, France. Disclosures: None. Received for publication Dec 10, 2009; revisions received Jan 12, 2010; accepted for publication Feb 1, 2010; available ahead of print April 12, 2010. Address for reprints: Dominique Himbert, MD, AP–HP, Bichat–Claude Bernard Hospital, Department of Cardiology, 46 rue Henri Huchard 75018 Paris, France (E-mail: dominique.himbert@bch.aphp.fr). J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg 2010;140:930-2 0022-5223/

Comparison of 2-Dimensional, 3-Dimensional, and Surgical Measurements of the Tricuspid Annulus Size: Clinical Implications.

36.00 Copyright 2010 by The American Association for Thoracic Surgery doi:10.1016/j.jtcvs.2010.02.003

Prognostic value of 201Tl myocardial scintigraphy after coronary artery bypass grafting.

Background—Associated tricuspid annuloplasty is recommended during left-heart valve surgery when the tricuspid annulus (TA) is dilated but methodology for the measurement of TA size and thresholds for TA enlargement are not clearly defined. Methods and Results—Measurement of the TA diameter (TAD) was prospectively performed using 2-dimensional transthoracic echocardiography (2D-TTE) in 282 patients in 4 different views (parasternal long axis, parasternal short axis, apical 4-chamber [A4C], and subcostal). TAD was also measured using 3D-transesophageal echocardiography in 183 patients (long axis), peroperatively in 120 patients who underwent a tricuspid valve surgery and using TTE (A4C) in 66 healthy volunteers. TAD was significantly different between the 4 2D-TTE views (3.85±0.58, 3.87±0.61, 4.02±0.69, and 3.92±0.65 cm, respectively; P<0.0001) but differences were small and the A4C was the most feasible (76%, 65%, 92%, and 73%, respectively; P<0.0001) and offered the highest reproducibility. TAD measured in A4C view was smaller than when measured by 3D-transesophageal echocardiography (3.90±0.63 versus 4.33±0.62 cm; P<0.0001) but correlation was excellent (r=0.84; P<0.0001) with a systematic 4-mm underestimation. In contrast, 2D-TTE measurements were significantly smaller and only modestly correlated to surgical measurements (4.11±0.61 versus 4.37±0.75 cm; P<0.0001; r=0.57; P<0.0001) which were poorly reproducible. In healthy volunteers, we suggested 42 mm or 23 mm/m2 as pathological values for the TAD in A4C. Conclusions—Measurements of the TAD using 2D-TTE in A4C were highly feasible and reproducible and despite being systematically smaller than 3D measurements, accurately reflected the degree of TA enlargement as assessed using 3D transesophageal echocardiography. We proposed the thresholds that may be used in future prospective studies to demonstrate whether a preventive strategy would improve the outcome.

Left ventricular free wall rupture. Long-term results with a pericardial patch and fibrin glue repair.

Background 201Tl myocardial scintigraphy (201Tl SPECT) is of strong prognostic value in various populations with suspected or known coronary artery disease. However, its value in patients with coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) is not fully assessed. Methods We examined 115 consecutive patients to determine the relation between clinical data/stress 201Tl SPECT performed 5±3 years after CABG, and subsequent cardiac events. Results Thirteen patients (11%) had stress-induced angina, 22 (19%) had electrical positivity, and 97 (84%) had abnormal scintigraphy, including 62 (54%) with reversible defects. During follow-up (35±22 months), there were nine cardiac deaths, seven myocardial infarctions, and 20 revascularization procedures. Multivariate Cox analysis identified the delay between CABG and scintigraphy (P<0.01, relative risk (RR) = 1.01), the extent of stress 201Tl defects (P = 0.04, RR = 1.18), and increased stress 201Tl lung uptake (P = 0.03, RR = 3.56) as significant predictors of cardiac deaths/infarctions. Delay between CABG and scintigraphy (P<0.001, RR = 1.01), the extent of stress 201Tl defects (P = 0.03, RR = 1.15), and that of reversible defects (P = 0.05, RR = 1.13) were the only significant predictors of total events. Conclusions Besides the delay between CABG and scintigraphy, the scintigraphic parameters were the only significant and additive predictors of cardiac events in 115 patients with CABG.

Early Malfunction of Polyvinyl Alcohol Membrane–Covered Atrial Septal Defect Closure Devices

Left ventricular free wall rupture has been treated successfully in three cases using an original technique that consists of suturing a plaque of the patients own pericardium (6 to 8 cm in diameter) to the normal tissue encircling the pathologic myocardium, and by injecting 5 ml of human fibrin glue as a cement under the pericardium to reinforce the repair and prevent leaking through the suture line