Left and right ventricular functional changes after transapical,
transfemoral, transcatheter, or surgical aortic valve replacement: A
single-center observational study
Abstract
Background: Decreasing right ventricular (RV) and left
ventricular (LV) function after surgical or transcatheter aortic valve
replacement (SAVR or TAVR, respectively) is an important risk factor for
morbidity and mortality. Although transapical (TA)-TAVR is an
independent risk factor for post-procedural mortality, limited knowledge
is available regarding long-term changes in RV and LV function. The
study aimed to evaluate LV and RV performance following four different
AVR procedures, including TA-, transfemoral (TF)-TAVR, and SAVR with and
without coronary artery bypass grafting (±CABG). Methods:
Patients with severe AS were consecutively included and assigned to
TA-TAVR, TF-TAVR, or SAVR ±CABG groups. A total of 130 patients
underwent preoperative conventional and strain-rate-imaging
echocardiography, with similar controls in the period between 6 and 12
months after the procedure. Results: After AVR, NYHA classes
III and IV were reduced from 105 (81%) to 6 (5%) patients. While most
of the systolic and diastolic functional parameters indicated improved
LV function in the TF-TAVR and both SAVR groups, LV function did not
significantly change after TA-TAVR. The right ventricular functional
parameters were unchanged or even improved equally after TA-TAVR and
TF-TAVR, while they were significantly reduced after SAVR. The Cardiac
Index (CI) improved significantly after TF-TAVR from 2.3±0.7 to 2.6±0.7,
while staying unchanged after TA-TAVR and SAVR±CABG.
Conclusion: This study demonstrated significant changes in LV
and RV systolic and diastolic function with functional improvement or
deterioration depending on the type of aortic valve replacement. The
most significant improvement in CI was observed after TF-TAVR, which is
the least invasive procedure.