External Validation of Mortality Prediction Models in Japanese Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement Registry.

Objectives: Mortality prediction models (MPMs) play a crucial role in risk assessment for transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR), but their external validity in Japanese patients remains unclear. This study evaluated the performance of existing short-term (30-day) and long-term (1-year) MPMs with Japanese TAVR patients.

Methods: We analysed patients who underwent TAVR between 2016 and 2023 in the KPUM transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) registry, a prospective multicentre registry in Japan.

Platypnea-orthodeoxia syndrome developed with the progression of pulmonary parenchymal involvement: A case report.

Unlabelled: Platypnea-orthodeoxia syndrome (POS) attributed to patent foramen ovale (PFO) can be caused by a variety of clinical conditions. A 70-year-old woman was admitted to our hospital for further evaluation of POS. Her symptoms developed along with the spread of infiltrative shadows in both lower lung fields during the preceding 2 years.

Balloon aortic valvuloplasty bridge to transcatheter aortic valve replacement is associated with worse in-hospital mortality.

Background: Balloon aortic valvuloplasty (BAV) has gained renewed interest as a bridge to transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) for patients with aortic stenosis (AS). However, it is unclear whether they patients should undergo TAVR directly or receive a staged bridge to BAV before TAVR is unclear. We used a national database to examine the association between BAV and TAVR in patients with TAVR and its effect on in-hospital mortality.

Dynamic Pulmonary Vein Stenosis After Left Pneumonectomy.

Pulmonary vein stenosis might be caused by mediastinal migration into the vacated pleural space after pneumonectomy. In a patient complaining of worsening dyspnea in the left lateral decubitus position after left pneumonectomy, transthoracic echocardiography during different postures revealed pulmonary vein stenosis that worsened in the left lateral position.

Right ventricular dilatation: echocardiographic differential diagnosis.

The initial means of detecting right ventricular (RV) dilatation is often transthoracic echocardiography (TTE), and once the presence of RV dilatation is suspected, there is the possibility of RV volume overload, RV pressure overload, RV myocardial disease, and even nonpathological RV dilatation. With respect to congenital heart disease with RV volume overload, defects or valvular abnormalities can be easily detected with TTE, with the exception of some diseases. Volumetric assessment using three-dimensional echocardiography may be useful in determining the intervention timing in these diseases.

SARS-CoV-2 RT-PCR as a universal screening on planned admission in asymptomatic patients.

Universal screening for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) on admission is reportedly beneficial in preventing nosocomial infections. However, some issues remain, including low positivity rate, cost, and time required for testing. We describe SARS-CoV-2 reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for universal screening in asymptomatic patients on planned admissions.

Mitral valve leaflet stiffness predicts residual mitral regurgitation after transcatheter edge-to-edge mitral valve repair.

Background: Residual regurgitation after transcatheter edge-to-edge mitral valve repair (TMVR) is a predictor of poor prognosis in patients with functional mitral regurgitation (FMR). This study sought to identify the mitral valve (MV) parameters measured by three-dimensional transesophageal echocardiography (3D-TEE) and MV leaflet features that predict residual mitral regurgitation (MR) after TMVR in patients with FMR.

Methods: Consecutive patients with FMR who underwent TMVR were classified into two groups based on the degree of residual MR just after TMVR: < 2+ in the optimal MR reduction group and ≥ 2+ in the suboptimal MR reduction group.

Cost-effective analysis of transcatheter aortic valve replacement in patients with severe symptomatic aortic stenosis: A prospective multicenter study.

Background: Transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) for severe symptomatic aortic stenosis (AS) does not benefit all patients. We performed a prospective multicenter study to investigate the cost-effectiveness of TAVR in a Japanese cohort.

Methods And Results: We prospectively enrolled 110 symptomatic patients with severe AS who underwent TAVR from five institutions.

Doppler Underestimates Transvalvular Gradient Measured by Catheterization in Patients With Severe Aortic Stenosis.

We sought to clarify characteristics of patients with severe aortic stenosis (AS) in whom transvalvular mean pressure gradient (MPG) was underestimated with Doppler compared with catheterization. Study subjects included 127 patients with severe AS who underwent transcatheter aortic valve implantation. Between subjects with Doppler MPG underestimation ≥10 mm Hg (group U) and those without (group C), we retrospectively compared echocardiographic parameters and aortic valve calcification score using the Agatston method.

Left ventricular hypertrophy as a predictor of cardiovascular outcomes after transcatheter aortic valve replacement.

Aims: This study aimed to clarify the relationship between cardiovascular prognosis and left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) in patients with severe aortic stenosis who underwent transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) and to investigate the relationship between cardiac sympathetic nerve (CSN) function and these factors using I-metaiodobenzylguanidine scintigraphy.

Methods And Results: In this single-centre, retrospective observational study, 349 patients who underwent TAVR at our institution between July 2017 and May 2020 were divided into two groups: those with severe LVH pre-operatively [severe LVH (+) group] and those without LVH pre-operatively [severe LVH (-) group]. The rates of freedom from cardiovascular events (cardiovascular death and heart failure hospitalization) were compared.

Cystatin C in risk prediction after transcatheter aortic valve replacement: a retrospective analysis.

Aims: No study has evaluated the prognostic value of the chronic kidney disease (CKD) classification by cystatin C-based estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) (CKD classification) in patients undergoing transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR). This study aimed to compare the prognostic value of CKD classification and CKD classification by creatinine-based eGFR (CKD classification) in risk prediction after TAVR.

Methods And Results: We retrospectively analysed consecutive 219 patients with symptomatic severe aortic stenosis who underwent TAVR at our institute between December 2016 and June 2019.

Incidence and predictors of transcatheter aortic valve replacement device emboligenic matter detected by transesophageal echocardiography.

During transfemoral (TF) or transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR), transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) sometimes reveals an unexpected mobile membranous mass on the catheter tip within the proximal part of the descending thoracic aorta. Such mobile masses may cause critical embolic events if the TAVR device advances into the ascending aorta in the absence of preventive measures. This study aimed to investigate the incidence and predictors of emboligenic matter (EM) during TAVR, impact of EM on the procedure, and incidence of symptomatic ischemic stroke post procedure.

Serial changes in cardiac sympathetic nervous function after transcatheter aortic valve replacement: A prospective observational study using I-meta-iodobenzylguanidine imaging.

Background: Transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) can rapidly improve cardiac sympathetic nervous function (CSNF) within 2 weeks in patients with aortic stenosis (AS). However, whether such short-term improvements will be sustained thereafter remains unclear.

Methods: Patients with severe AS who underwent TAVR between October 2017 and June 2019 were enrolled in this single-center, prospective, observational study.

Stress Echocardiography After Mitral Valve Repair Using a Semirigid Partial Band.

Background: The reduction in exercise capacity after mitral valve repair (MVr) for severe degenerative mitral regurgitation is an unsolved issue. This study aimed to evaluate hemodynamics after MVr using a partial semirigid band during exercise stress echocardiography and to identify predictive factors for achieving better exercise capacity after MVr.

Methods: We retrospectively analyzed 48 patients using exercise stress echocardiography within 5 years of having undergone MVr using a partial semirigid band between 2013 and 2019.

Recurrent Infective Endocarditis Following Transcatheter Edge-to-Edge Mitral Valve Repair with MitraClip System.

We experienced the case of a 61-year-old man who had recurrent infective endocarditis following transcatheter edge-to-edge mitral valve repair using the MitraClip system. Infective endocarditis after MitraClip implantation is a serious complication with high mortality. Early surgical intervention should be considered even in cases of high surgical risk.