Worldwide experience with the 29-mm Edwards SAPIEN XT™ transcatheter heart valve in patients with large aortic annulus.

OBJECTIVES

The feasibility of transcatheter aortic valve implantation is limited by the diameter of the aortic annulus. Patients with an annulus of >25 mm were previously unsuitable for transcatheter valve implantation using the Edwards SAPIEN™ bioprosthesis. The 29-mm Edwards SAPIEN XT™ bioprosthesis is a new device suitable for transapical aortic valve implantation in patients with a large aortic annulus. We report the worldwide experience in using this device.

METHODS

A total of 120 patients (age 80.3 ± 5.7 years, 2.5% female) underwent transapical aortic valve implantation using a 29-mm Edwards SAPIEN XT™ bioprosthesis between the period of December 2009 and February 2011. The mean values of the logistic EuroSCORE and the STS score were 23.4 ± 7.7 and 6.8 ± 4.0, respectively. A total of 20 centres participated in this study and all patients gave written informed consent.

RESULTS

There were two conversions to open heart surgery (1.7%) and four patients (3.3%) required a temporary cardiopulmonary bypass support. A mean of 131 ± 68.0-ml contrast dye was used. The procedural success, defined as one valve implanted, no aortic regurgitation (AR) >2+ and a transcatheter valve in the appropriate position, was achieved in 95.8% of patients. Early postoperative complications at ≤ 30 days included renal failure requiring temporary dialysis (n = 7, 5.8%), reopening for bleeding (n = 5, 4.2%), stroke (n = 2, 1.7%), respiratory complications requiring prolonged mechanical ventilation (n = 11, 9.2%) and postoperative pacemaker implantation (n = 15/12.5%). The Kaplan-Meier survival estimates were 95.8% at 30-day, 88.9% at 6-month and 79.8% at the 1-year follow-up. The controlled echocardiography data at 30 days (n = 95) revealed no/trivial AR in 79 (84.1%), mild AR in 12 (12.8%) and moderate in two (2.2%) patients. The univariable analysis of baseline characteristics revealed no predictor for 30-day mortality.

CONCLUSIONS

The 29-mm Edwards SAPIEN XT™ bioprosthesis provides an excellent outcome in patients with a large aortic annulus undergoing transapical aortic valve implantation. Using this larger transcatheter heart valve, a broader population of high-risk elderly patients with aortic stenosis can be treated by minimally invasive transapical implantation techniques.