Transcatheter echo guided mitral valve repair with neochord implantation for posterior leaflet disease
Abstract Background/Introduction Transapical off-pump mitral valve repair with NeoChord implantation (TOP-MINI) has become applied for patients presenting with severe mitral regurgitation (MR) due to posterior leaflet (PML) prolapse or flail. The procedure is performed under real-time 2D- and 3D-transesophageal echocardiography for both implantation and neochordae tension adjustment allowing real-time monitoring of hemodynamic recovery. Purpose This prospective study sought to evaluate acute safety and efficacy of this innovative, minimally invasive, transcatheter mitral valve repair approach. Methods 33 symptomatic patients patients with severe MR secondary to PML flail/prolapse (March 2017-Dec 2019) were included. Patients were stratified on the basis of the preoperative 3D transesophageal echocardiography assessment of MV morphology: type A, isolated central PML prolapse/flail (25 patients); type B, posterior multisegment prolapse/flail (3 patients); type C and D, anterior or bileaflet prolapse/flail or paracommissural prolapse/flail or any type of disease with the presence of significant leaflet/annular calcifications (5 patients). Type A was considered the more favorable morphology. Results Median age was 67.7±13.4 y. Median EuroSCORE-II 2.7%±1.91. Procedural success was achieved in 28 patients (84,9%). 5 patients, 2 type A and 3 type D, underwent conversion to open surgery for immediate failure. The median number of chords implanted was 3.1±0.6. 1 high-risk patient considered inoperable because of severe comorbidities and extensive annular calcifications died before discharge. Postoperative length of stay was 4.25±1 days. At 12.3±4.9 months median follow-up, MR≤moderate was present in 25 (90%). Overall 1-year survival was 100%. Freedom from reintervention was 97% for overall population. Transthoracic echocardiography at 1 year revealed ventricular reverse remodeling, with a significant decrease in indexed left ventricular end- end-systolic volumes (25.3±6.4 to 21.6±8.2 mL/m2, P<0.001). 92.9% were in New York Heart Association class I. Conclusions TOP-MINI procedure is a feasible, low-risk technique that allows safely repair degenerative mitral valve failure secondary to prolapse/flail valvular and its efficacy is maintained up to 1-year. Funding Acknowledgement Type of funding source: None