Transapical Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement: A Real-World Early and Mid-Term Outcome of a Third-Level Centre.

BACKGROUND: Transapical transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TA-TAVR) is generally considered to be associated with higher morbidity compared with transfemoral-TAVR. However, TA-TAVR remains a feasible alternative for patients who are unsuitable for TF-TAVR. It has been shown that outcomes after TAVR are linked to the operator's expertise. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to report short- and mid-term outcomes after TA-TAVR performed by an expert Heart-Team of a third-level centre. METHODS: From 2015 to 2022, 154 consecutive patients underwent TA-TAVR. The outcomes were analysed according to the VARC-3 criteria. Kaplan-Meier curves were estimated for major clinical events at mid-term follow-up. RESULTS: The mean age of the population was 79.3 years and the STS risk-score of mortality was 4.2 ± 3.6%. Periprocedural mortality was 1.9%. Acute kidney injury and prolonged ventilation occurred in 1.9%. Incidence of stroke was 0.6%. Pacemaker implantation rate was 1.9%. Freedom from cardiovascular mortality was 75.7%, and 60.2% at 3 and 5 years. Freedom from stroke was 92.3% and 88.9% at 3 and 5 years, respectively; freedom from endocarditis was 94.4% and 90.8% at 3 and 5 years, respectively. CONCLUSION: TA-TAVR may be considered a safe and effective alternative approach in patients unsuitable for TF-TAVR, especially when performed by a proficient Heart-Team.

Cerebral perfusion strategy in a challenge cerebral vessels debranching.

We present a case of antegrade cerebral perfusion based on a circuit with a centrifugal pump for general open-heart surgery to achieving cerebral protection during a challenging hybrid aortic arch repair.

Continuous Metabolic Monitoring in Infant Cardiac Surgery: Toward an Individualized Cardiopulmonary Bypass Strategy.

Cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) in infants is associated with morbidity due to systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS). Strategies to mitigate SIRS include management of perfusion temperature, hemodilution, circuit miniaturization, and biocompatibility. Traditionally, perfusion parameters have been based on body weight. However, intraoperative monitoring of systemic and cerebral metabolic parameters suggest that often, nominal CPB flows may be overestimated. The aim of the study was to assess the safety and efficacy of continuous metabolic monitoring to manage CPB in infants during open-heart repair. Between December 2013 and October 2014, 31 consecutive neonates, infants, and young children undergoing surgery using normothermic CPB were enrolled. There were 18 male and 13 female infants, aged 1.4 ± 1.7 years, with a mean body weight of 7.8 ± 3.8 kg and body surface area of 0.39 m(2) . The study was divided into two phases: (i) safety assessment; the first 20 patients were managed according to conventional CPB flows (150 mL/min/kg), except for a 20-min test during which CPB was adjusted to the minimum flow to maintain MVO2>70% and rSO2>45% (group A); (ii) efficacy assessment; the following 11 patients were exclusively managed adjusting flows to maintain MVO2>70% and rSO2>45% for the entire duration of CPB (group B). Hemodynamic, metabolic, and clinical variables were compared within and between patient groups. Demographic variables were comparable in the two groups. In group A, the 20-min test allowed reduction of CPB flows greater than 10%, with no impact on pH, blood gas exchange, and lactate. In group B, metabolic monitoring resulted in no significant variation of endpoint parameters, when compared with group A patients (standard CPB), except for a 10% reduction of nominal flows. There was no mortality and no neurologic morbidity in either group. Morbidity was comparable in the two groups, including: inotropic and/or mechanical circulatory support (8 vs. 1, group A vs. B, P = 0.07), reexploration for bleeding (1 vs. none, P = not significant [NS]), renal failure requiring dialysis (none vs. 1, P = NS), prolonged ventilation (9 vs. 4, P = NS), and sepsis (2 vs. 1, P = NS). The present study shows that normothermic CPB in neonates, infants, and young children can be safely managed exclusively by systemic and cerebral metabolic monitoring. This strategy allows reduction of at least 10% of predicted CPB flows under normothermia and may lay the ground for further tailoring of CPB parameters to individual patient needs.