First experience with transcatheter aortic valve implantation and concomitant percutaneous coronary intervention

OBJECTIVES: We investigated our experience with combined transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) and percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) as an alternative strategy in high-risk patients.

BACKGROUND: Combined surgical aortic valve replacement and coronary artery bypass grafting are the gold standard treatment for patients with aortic stenosis and concomitant coronary artery disease. However, a substantial share of patients is unfit for surgery due to contraindications.

METHODS: Twenty-eight patients (15 female) underwent combined TAVI and PCI after being refused for surgery. In 21 patients (group 1) a staged approach of PCI prior to subsequent TAVI was chosen. Seven patients (group 2) were treated in a single-stage procedure.

RESULTS: Mean patient age was 80.1 ± 6.9 years, pre-procedural risk assessment revealed a mean logEuroSCORE of 26.8 ± 13.4%. Left ventricular ejection fraction was 45.6 ± 11.1%. Baseline mean/peak transvalvular gradients were 40.2 ± 16.8 and 65.6 ± 26.6 mmHg, respectively, and decreased to mean/peak values of 9.3 ± 4.2/15.2 ± 8.4 mmHg (p < 0.0001), effective orifice area increased from 0.73 ± 0.25 to 1.74 ± 0.47 cm(2) (p < 0.0001). In group 2, fluoroscopy time and amount of contrast agent were significantly higher compared to group 1 (18.1 ± 9.2 vs. 9.5 ± 7.0 min; p = 0.03/292.3 ± 117.5 vs. 171.9 ± 68.4 ml; p = 0.006). In group 1, patients received PCI 14.3 ± 9.6 days prior to TAVI. In group 2, PCI was performed immediately before TAVI. A mean of 1.6 ± 1.0 stents was placed per patient. No periprocedural myocardial infarction or stroke occurred in any patient. Thirty-day mortality was 7.1% (2/28).

CONCLUSION: Our strategy of staged or single-stage TAVI and PCI proved feasible and safe in this high-risk patient population. Whether there is advantage of one approach over the other remains to be elucidated.