Transapical Transcatheter Mitral Valve Replacement After Failed Transcatheter Edge-to-Edge Repair: A Multicenter...

Management of recurrent mitral regurgitation (MR) or relevant iatrogenic mitral valve (MV) stenosis after mitral transcatheter edge-to-edge repair (M-TEER) emerges as an increasingly relevant clinical issue. Surgery after M-TEER is associated with higher morbidity and mortality. Electrosurgical leaflet laceration and stabilization of the implant (ELASTA-Clip) followed by transcatheter mitral valve replacement (TMVR) is an innovative, less-invasive treatment option for patients with TEER failure.

The authors sought to evaluate the early results of ELASTA-Clip followed by transapical TMVR in patients with symptomatic failed M-TEER (defined as persistent or recurrent MR, or iatrogenic MV stenosis).

Data from symptomatic patients with failed M-TEER who underwent ELASTA-Clip followed by compassionate use or commercial transapical TMVR using the Abbott Tendyne system were retrospectively collected from 8 tertiary care centers in 4 countries. Safety and efficacy of the procedure were assessed up to 1 year according to Mitral Valve Academic Research Consortium (MVARC) criteria.

A total of 22 patients (mean age 77.8 ± 9.2 years, 40.9% [9/22] female) at high surgical risk (EuroSCORE II 8.0 ± 0.4, STS score 7.2% ± 1.1%) with symptomatic residual MR ≥3+ (n = 21) or iatrogenic MV stenosis (n = 1) after failed M-TEER were followed for a median period of 8.5 [Q1-Q3: 2.6-11.6] months. The ELASTA-Clip procedure (90.9% [20/22] transseptal, 9.1% [2/22] transapical) followed by TMVR were successful in all patients (22/22). Technical success according to MVARC was achieved in 21 patients (21/22, 95.4%) without left ventricular outflow tract obstruction or conversion to sternotomy. At 30 days, 3 patients had paravalvular leak progression, ischemic stroke occurred in 3 patients (3/20, 15.0%). Baseline MR (≥3+ in 95.5% [21/22]) was reduced to grade 1+ or less in all patients with durable results in 89.5% (17/19) (P < 0.001). NYHA functional class significantly improved to ≤II in 81.3% (13/16) at discharge (P < 0.001) and 72.2% (13/18) at last follow-up (P < 0.001). At 30 days, all patients (20/20) were alive. Three patients (3/20, 15.0%) were rehospitalized for heart failure (uncontrolled atrial fibrillation in 2 cases) and 1 of them (1/22, 4.5%) underwent a reintervention (valve retensioning).

Transapical TMVR after ELASTA-Clip is a feasible and less invasive option for the management of failed M-TEER that can be performed with acceptable results in a carefully selected patient population. Particular attention is required to avoid paravalvular leakage and measures to minimize the risk of periprocedural cerebrovascular events need to be implemented in future larger-scale prospective studies with longer-term follow-up.