Introduction:
The assessment of post-procedual aortic regurgitation (PAR) after transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) has not been validated. The purpose of this study was (1) to investigate the value of holodiastolic flow reversal (HDFR) in the descending aorta in patients with PAR after TAVR and (2) to determine which color Doppler parameters are useful for PAR grading using the intraprocedural transesophageal echocardiography (iTEE).
Hypothesis:
We hypothesized that HDFR in the descending aorta and any color Doppler parameters can delineate significant PAR after TAVR.
Methods:
Three hundred-eighty patients with severe aortic stenosis underwent TAVR with the Edwards SAPIEN valve with 131 pulsed-wave Doppler tracings from the descending aorta had assessed by iTEE. PAR was evaluated using 2D color Doppler by the cross-sectional area of the vena contracta (VCA) at the aortic annular plane, and by the longitudinal jet extent (mosaic signals, Figure A) compared to the location of the tip of the anterior mitral leaflet (AML). Significant PAR was defined as VCA of ≥10 mm2, corresponding to greater than a moderate grade.
Results:
In patients with any grade of PAR, pulsed-wave Doppler tracing from the descending aorta, jet extent and VCA were obtained in 100%, 80%, and 74%, respectively. All patients with consistent HDFR had significant PAR. By multivariate analysis, a consistent HDFR and jet extent beyond the tip of AML were independent predictors of significant PAR. A consistent HDFR and jet extent beyond the tip of AML predicted significant PAR with specificity of 100% and 97%, respectively. In the other hand, patients with both negative HDFR and jet extent of less than halfway to the tip of AML had no significant PAR with a 97% specificity.
Conclusions:
The presence of HDFR with each cardiac cycle and jet extent beyond the tip of AML are indicative of significant PAR.
Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement in Patients with Severe Aortic Regurgitation
