Annals of cardiothoracic surgery最新文献

Background: Transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) is an established alternative to surgical aortic valve replacement (SAVR) for severe symptomatic aortic stenosis (AS), including low-risk patients. We aimed to update a systematic review and conduct a meta-analysis of reconstructed time-to-event data from randomized control trials (RCTs) in low-/intermediate-risk patients.

Methods: Systematic searches were performed in PubMed, EMBASE, Cochrane CENTRAL, and specific websites up to November 2023, for RCTs. A meta-analysis was performed using the reconstructed time-to-event data from the provided Kaplan-Meier (KM) curves from the included RCTs. The primary outcome was all-cause mortality, and the secondary outcomes included a composite outcome (all-cause mortality and disabling stroke), and heart failure rehospitalization. Landmark analysis for endpoints beyond 1 year was performed. The study protocol was registered on PROSPERO (CRD42023487893).

Results: Six RCTs with a total of 7,389 patients were included. The survival was comparable between both groups [hazard ratio (HR), 1.03; 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.93-1.14; P=0.57]. The composite outcome and heart failure rehospitalization were comparable between the two groups. Lower mortality with TAVR was observed compared to SAVR before 1 year (HR, 0.82; 95% CI: 0.68-0.98; P=0.03), while TAVR was associated with higher risk of mortality beyond 1 year (HR, 1.13; 95% CI: 1.01-1.27; P=0.04). Similarly, the TAVR group was associated with lower risk for the composite endpoint and heart failure rehospitalization before 1 year, but with higher rates beyond 1 year.

Conclusions: Among low- to intermediate-risk patients, TAVR was found to be associated with favorable outcomes in the short-term (0-1 year). However, our landmark analysis demonstrated TAVR to be associated with poorer outcomes beyond 1 year.

The rise of transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) over the past two decades has substantially changed the lifetime management of patients with aortic valve disease. As the indications for TAVR expand to include younger and lower-risk patients, the proportion of patients who subsequently require reintervention for failed transcatheter heart valves (THVs) will increase. The two primary options for reintervention are redo TAVR and TAVR explant followed by surgical aortic valve replacement (SAVR). The indications for redo TAVR in the short term include emergency "bailout" procedures due to malpositioning, embolization, or long-term device failure due to paravalvular leak (PVL) or valvular degeneration. However, redo TAVR is not suitable for all patients. Those with prohibitive coronary anatomy, multivalvular involvement, severe patient-prosthetic mismatch, or endocarditis should be referred for TAVR explant, which is a comparatively higher-risk procedure. Redo TAVR has generally been associated with low mortality and complication rates, with key procedural considerations being valve selection [e.g., sizing, balloon-expandable valve (BEV) vs. self-expandable valve (SEV)], access, and coronary protection. TAVR explant poses numerous technical challenges, including concomitant ascending aorta or aortic root replacement, mitral valve involvement, or adhesions to the coronary ostia. Compared to redo TAVR, TAVR explant is associated with higher rates of short-term mortality and periprocedural complications. The 30-day mortality rates of TAVR explant approach 20%, and 1-year mortality rates range from 20% to 30%, with significantly greater risk associated with concomitant procedures. The data on both redo TAVR and TAVR explant are limited to observational cohorts without long-term follow-up. Given that patient populations and indications for redo TAVR and TAVR explant are vastly different, direct comparisons of outcomes between these two groups should be avoided. Nonetheless, multidisciplinary Heart Team collaboration remains imperative to advancing our knowledge of redo TAVR or TAVR explant procedures and the careful lifetime management of patients with aortic valve disease.

Background: Controlled donation after circulatory death (cDCD) allografts made up a small fraction of donor hearts available for transplant, however it is estimated this could increase to 30% in future years. The purpose of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to describe the largest and most up-to-date short- and long-term survival outcomes for cDCD cardiac transplantation.

Methods: Three electronic databases were selected to complete the initial literature search from inception of records until February 2024. Primary outcomes were short-term survival at 12 months, as well as long-term time-to-event survival data. These data were calculated using aggregated Kaplan-Meier curves according to established methods. The secondary outcomes were acute rejection and primary graft dysfunction.

Results: Following the PRISMA screening protocol, ten studies were included for analysis, eight of which were published in the last 12 months. A pooled cohort of 1,219 donor/recipient pairs were analyzed, of which all had graphical extraction of individual patient data to reveal an aggregated Kaplan-Meier curve. The survival estimates at 1, 3 and 5 years for the pooled cDCD cohort were 92.4%, 85.3% and 85.3%, respectively. In-hospital mortality rates were low at just 2.5%.

Conclusions: While only making up a small percentage of current heart transplant figures, cDCD allografts may not only significantly reduce waitlist times, but could also increase the donor pool, and improve survivability over current procurement techniques. Ultimately, cDCD allografts show promise in offering an effective and favorable procurement source for cardiac transplantation worldwide.

Background: Donation after circulatory death (DCD) donation is becoming more and more popular worldwide. However, in this setting of donation, heart graft suffers from the ischemic injury related with the cardiac arrest. In Italy, the declaration of death with cardiac parameters requires the registration of electrocardiograph for twenty minutes resulting in a very prolonged grafts' warm ischemia time. The aim of this study is to present the Italian preliminary experience on heart transplantation (HTx) from controlled DCD (cDCD) donors.

Methods: Despite a very long period of warm ischemic time (WIT) expected, in April 2023, a DCD heart program was started in Italy and in May 2023 the first DCD heart transplant was performed. In the present paper, preliminary results of the national program are analyzed.

Results: Since May 2023 until December 2024, 40 DCD heart transplants were performed in Italy. Donors' characteristics were the followings: 31 male, nine female, mean age of 46.6±14.7 years. Causes of death were: 19 trauma, eight cerebral bleeding, four post-anoxia coma, nine others. Three donors showed mild coronary artery disease at angiography. Mean WIT was 43.2±10.8 minutes. Thoraco-abdominal normothermic regional perfusion (T-A NRP) was used in all cases. Recipients' characteristics were the followings: 33 males, seven females, mean age 59.1±12.3 years, 16 re-operations (REDO), 18 on an urgent list. Eight (21%) patients required post-transplant extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO), four (50%) of whom were successfully weaned. Thirty-day mortality was 10%. Median duration of post-transplant mechanical ventilation, intensive care unit stay and hospital stay was 45 hours, six days and 28 days respectively. At discharge, mean ejection fraction (EF) was 57.8%±10% and tricuspid annular plane systolic excursion (TAPSE) 18.2±3.1 mm, without any significant valvular disfunction.

Conclusions: Italian preliminary results suggest that DCD heart transplantation can be successful despite a very long WIT and marginal donors' characteristics. A larger experience and data about medium and long-term results are mandatory to better confirm the short-term findings.