Related Experiment Video
Updated: Sep 2, 2025
Upper-extremity Approach for Secondary Access in Transfemoral Transcatheter Aortic Valve Implantation
Published on: August 8, 2025
Coronary Access Following Redo TAVR: Impact of THV Design, Implant Technique, and Cell Misalignment
David Meier1, Mariama Akodad1, Uri Landes2
1Centre for Cardiovascular Innovation, St. Paul's and Vancouver General Hospital, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada; Cardiovascular Translational Laboratory, St. Paul's Hospital and Centre for Heart Lung Innovation, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada; Centre for Heart Valve Innovation, St Paul's Hospital, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.
Background:
The implications and potential challenges of coronary access after redo transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) are unknown.
Objectives:
The authors sought to evaluate the impact of different transcatheter heart valve (THV) designs, neoskirt height, implant technique, and cell misalignment on coronary access after redo TAVR.
Methods:
Different THV designs (Sapien 3 [Edwards Lifesciences LLC], Evolut Pro [Medtronic], ACURATE neo [Boston Scientific Corporation], and Portico [Abbott Structural Heart]) and sizes were implanted inside Sapien XT (Edwards Lifesciences LLC) and Evolut R (Medtronic) THVs, which were modeled as the "failed" THVs, at different implant depths. Valve combinations underwent micro-computed tomography to determine the neoskirt height and dimensions of the lowest accessible cell for potential coronary access. This was compared with dimensions of 6-F/7-F/8-F coronary guiding catheters.
Results:
Redo TAVR combinations resulted in a wide range of neoskirt heights (15.4-31.6 mm) and a variable diameter of the lowest accessible cell (1.9-21.8 mm). An ACURATE neo implanted in a Sapien XT resulted in the largest accessible cells, whereas a Portico implanted in a Sapien XT resulted in the lowest neoskirt heights. The smallest accessible cell was observed in the Evolut Pro-in-Evolut R configuration with higher neoskirt heights. Redo TAVR in a tall frame valve with supra-annular leaflets caused a taller neoskirt height. In Evolut-in-Evolut combinations, misalignment of the cells of the 2 THVs reduced the cell area by 30% to 50% compared with an aligned configuration.
Conclusions:
This study demonstrates that different redo TAVR combinations are not equivalent in terms of future coronary access. Redo TAVR using a tall frame valve in a failed tall frame valve and misaligned cells may lead to potentially challenging coronary access.
