Indications and Outcomes of Non-Emergent Cardiac Surgery Following Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement

This study examined the indications, frequency, and outcomes of cardiac surgery following transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) at a single institution. As TAVR volumes increase, understanding the nature and outcomes of subsequent cardiac operations is critical, particularly as the procedure expands to younger, lower-risk populations.

We analysed outcomes of 61 patients who underwent cardiac surgery after TAVR at our institution from August 2011 to September 2023, excluding periprocedural complications and staged procedures. Patients were stratified into 2 groups: those requiring surgical aortic valve replacement (SAVR) with or without concomitant procedures (n = 33) and those undergoing non-SAVR cardiac operations (n = 28). Data were collected from a prospectively maintained cardiovascular surgery database and electronic health records. Indications for surgery, operative characteristics, and outcomes were analysed, with survival assessed using Kaplan-Meier estimates.

The median interval between TAVR and cardiac surgery was 19 months. Indications for SAVR included infective endocarditis (36%), non-structural valve deterioration (36%), structural valve deterioration (12%), and valve thrombosis (6%). Non-SAVR operations primarily addressed mitral valve disease (43%) and coronary artery disease (29%). Operative mortality was 6.6%, with no deaths in the endocarditis subgroup. Postoperative complications included prolonged mechanical ventilation (18%), new-onset renal failure (7%), and stroke (2%). Kaplan-Meier survival estimates were 83% at 1 year and 50% at 5 years.

Although complex, cardiac operations in patients who have undergone TAVR can be performed with acceptable mortality rates. Structural valve deterioration, paravalvular leak, and endocarditis were the primary indications for SAVR, while mitral valve and coronary artery disease predominated in non-SAVR cases. These findings highlight the importance of considering nonaortic valve pathologies in TAVR planning, particularly as the procedure expands to younger, lower-risk populations.