Clinical and structural outcomes of neocommissural alignment in transaxillary and transcarotid transcatheter aortic valve implantation with a self-expandable transcatheter heart valve.

OBJECTIVES

This study analyzes neocommissural alignment and the clinical and hemodynamic outcomes after transaxillary and transcarotid implantation of the Acurate neo2 transcatheter heart valve.

METHODS

We performed a retrospective, single-center analysis of early outcomes after transaxillary and transcarotid implantation of the Acurate neo2 transcatheter heart valve. Primary outcomes were neocommisural alignment, in-hospital mortality, and valve hemodynamic performance. Commissural alignment between native and transcatheter heart valves was assessed by transesophageal echocardiogram before and after the procedure.

RESULTS

Between October 2021 and November 2022, 40 consecutive patients were treated with the Acurate neo2 through a transaxillary or transcarotid approach. Access was achieved via the left subclavian artery in 30 cases and the left common carotid artery in 10 cases, with a mean vessel diameter of 6.7 mm. Implants most commonly used were size M (37.5%), L (35%), and S (27.5%). On the basis of transesophageal echocardiogram analysis, there was no significant difference in mean commissural orientation between native (mean, 65.1°; SD, 41.3°) and neocommissures (mean, 64°; SD, 44.1°) ( = .661). Mean commissural orientation did not significantly differ between native and neocommissures ( = .661). Optimal alignment or mild commissural misalignment was achieved in 99.5% of cases. There were no cases of severe commissural misalignment. Postprocedural mean values for peak and mean gradients were 12.7 mm Hg and 5.2 mm Hg, respectively. There were 2 cases of moderate paravalvular leak and 4 cases of mild paravalvular leak.

CONCLUSIONS

This patient-specific technique for transaxillary and transcarotid insertion of the Acurate neo2 delivery system prevents implantations with more than mild commissural misalignment and with a high device success rate.