Abstract 2307: Contemporary Perioperative Results of Isolated Aortic Valve Replacement for Aortic Stenosis: Implications for Transcatheter Aortic Valve Implantation

Transcatheter aortic valve implantation (AVI) is compelling for some high-risk patients with aortic stenosis (AS). However, comparison of procedure outcomes with older surgical series may overestimate operative risk. We therefore analyzed our contemporary series of isolated aortic valve replacement (AVR) for AS. From April 2004 to January 2008, 642 patients underwent AVR with or without concomitant cardiac procedures. Of these patients, 175 patients had an isolated AVR, and 140 patients underwent isolated AVR for AS. The characteristics were age 68, male gender 56%, ejection fraction 57%. Sixty-four percent had a minimally-invasive AVR and 18% were reoperations. Twenty percent were 80 years old or greater, 35% were in NYHA functional class III-IV, and 4% had an estimated operative mortality of 10% or greater using the Society of Thoracic Surgery (STS) risk calculator. Thirty-day mortality was 0%, but there was one in-hospital death (0.7%) from complications of an esophageal perforation. Reoperation for bleeding occurred in 5.7%, cerebrovascular accident (CVA) in 0%, acute renal failure (ARF) in 2.9%, myocardial infarction (MI) in 0%. Bioprosthetic valves were used in 98.6% and mechanical in 1.4%. Mean gradient decreased from 48 mmHg to10 mmHg. Actuarial survival was 97% and 90% at 1 and 3 years. Patients >80 years (n=28) were more likely to have an increased length of hospital stay (9.8 versus 6.3 days, p=0.01) and less likely to be discharged to home (48% versus 86%, p<0.01) as compared to patients <80 years. Today, AVR for AS can be performed in many high-risk patients with low operative mortality and morbidity, although patients over 80 years are at greater risk of prolonged recovery. Transcatheter AVI should be compared to this high threshold.