Transcatheter aortic valve replacement: transapical resection of the aortic valve in vivo

The resection of pulmonary valves has already been demonstrated in an experimental beating-heart model. The aim of this study was to analyse the transapical laser-assisted resection of aortic valves in an in vivo porcine model in a non-beating heart. The resection was performed in a porcine model (n = 10) using a Thullium:YAG laser. After establishing a standard extracorporeal circulatory support, the aortic valve isolation chamber (AVIC) system was inserted transapically. The resection of the aortic leaflets was carried out step-by-step in the arrested heart. The AVIC implantation, the resection process, and the gross anatomy of intracardiac lesions were analysed. The procedure for installing the AVIC took 5.8 ± 1.5 min. A sealed chamber was achieved in 9/10 cases. The resection of the valves was performed in 8/10 and completed in 7/10 cases. The resection took, on average, 7.4 ± 2.7 min/cusp. In 9/10 cases, the sealing was sufficient. Gross anatomy and histological analysis demonstrated only superficial damage to the surrounding tissue. In this study, the in vivo on-pump isolation of the left ventricular outflow tract and the laser resection of the native aortic valve could be demonstrated successfully. Nevertheless, this model is the next step towards a beating-heart resection of the aortic valve using the isolation chamber.