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Updated: Mar 7, 2026

Technique and Patient Selection Criteria of Right Anterior Mini-Thoracotomy for Minimal Access Aortic Valve Replacement
Published on: March 26, 2018
Impact of right ventricular function on outcome of severe aortic stenosis patients undergoing transcatheter aortic
Edward Koifman1, Romain Didier1, Nirav Patel1
1Section of Interventional Cardiology, MedStar Washington Hospital Center, Washington, DC.
Background:
Right ventricular (RV) dysfunction was shown to be associated with adverse outcomes in a variety of cardiac patients and is considered a risk factor for adverse outcome according to the updated Valve Academic Research Consortium criteria.
Objective:
Our goal was to assess the impact of RV function at baseline on 1-year mortality among patients with severe aortic stenosis (AS) undergoing transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR).
Methods:
All patients with severe AS treated with TAVR from May 2007 to March 2015 at our center were included in the present study, and baseline and procedural characteristics were recorded for each patient. The patients were categorized according to RV function at baseline as assessed by current guidelines, and a comparison of mortality rates up to 1 year was performed.
Results:
Among 650 patients, 606 had adequate echocardiogram quality and 146 (24%) had RV dysfunction. There were significant differences between the 2 groups, as patients with RV dysfunction were younger (81±9 vs 84±7 years, P=.01) and were more likely to be male (65% vs 42%, P<.001). In addition, patients with RV dysfunction had higher rates of prior myocardial infarction (26% vs 16%, P=.02) and atrial fibrillation (51% vs 39%, P=.02). Echocardiographic parameters demonstrated higher rates of left ventricular ejection fraction <40% (40% vs 18%, P<.001), tricuspid regurgitation above moderate (16% vs 9%, P=.04), and higher pulmonary artery systolic pressure (50±17 vs 44±16 mm Hg, P<.001) among patients with severe AS and RV dysfunction compared with patients with normal RV function. Despite the unfavorable cardiac function, patients with severe AS undergoing TAVR have similar functional class (P=.22) and mortality rates at 1year (27% vs 23%, log-rank P=.45).
Conclusions:
Patients with severe AS and RV dysfunction have similar 1-year mortality and functional class after TAVR to patients with normal RV function. The presence of RV dysfunction does not correlate with outcome in patients with severe AS.
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