Original title: Comparison of Results of Transcatheter Aortic Valve Implantation in Patients with Severely Stenotic Bicuspid versus Tricuspid or Non-Bicuspid Valves. Reference: Charis Costopoulos et al. Am J Cardiol. 2014 Jan 31. pii: S0002-9149(14)00554-2.   The bicuspid aortic valve (BAV) is the most common congenital cardiac malformation. It occurs in approximately 1% of the general population and often...

Original title: Automated 3-Dimensional Aortic Annular Assessment by Multidetector Computed Tomography in Transcatheter Aortic Valve Implantation. Reference: Yusuke Watanabe et al. J Am Coll Cardiol Intv 2013;6:955–64. Percutaneous aortic valve implantation ( TAVI ) has emerged as an alternative for patients with severe aortic stenosis and high surgical risk. While this technique was improved over the time, residual paravalvular regurgitation...

Original title: Determinats and Outcomes of Acute transcatheter Valve-in Valve Therapy or Embolization. Reference: Raj R Makkar, et al. J Am Coll Cardiol 2013;62:418-30   Percutaneous aortic valve implantation has proven to be feasible, safe and a successful follow up. Only in a few patients is the two-valve implantation necessary due to bad positioning or embolism but...

Original title: 4-Year Results of a Randomized Controlled Trial of Percutaneous Repair Versus surgery for Mitral Regurgitation. Reference: Laura Mauri, et al. J Am Coll Cardiol 2013;62:317-28 Surgical treatment of mitral regurgitation (MR) is currently recommended by either valve replacement or valvuloplasty. Devices are being developed to address this disease giving the benefits of percutaneous treatments. The EVEREST...

Original title: Renal Function-Based Contrast Dosing Predicts Acute Kidney Following Trancatheter Aortic Valve Implantation Reference: Masanori Yamamoto, et al. J Am Coll Cardiol Intv 2013;6:479–86. Acute kidney injury (AKI) presents in 10 to 30% of patients undergoing TAVI; it is associated to the increase of morbidity and mortality and it prolongues hospitalization. This study included 415 patients with...

Original title: 5 Years Experience With Trancatheter Tranaspical Mitral Valve –in Valve Implantation for Bioprosthetic Valve Dysfunction Reference: Anson Cheung et al. J Am Coll Cardiol 2013;61:1759–66. Percutaneous valves development, first aortic and now mitral, has brought an opportunity to improve life quality and extend life for high risk non-surgical patients. 23 patients received transapical implantation in mitral...

Original title: Transcatheter Aortic Valve Implantation With the Edwards SAPIEN Versus the Medtronic CoreValve Revalving System Devices. A Multicenter Collaborative Study: The PRAGMATIC Plus Initiative (Pooled-RotterdAm-Milano-Toulouse In Collaboration). Reference: Alaide Chieffo et al. J Am Coll Cardiol 2013;61:830–6. Since the introduction of percutaneous aortic valve replacement (TAVR), two devices have been widely used. For one side, the self-expanding...

Original title: Acute Severe Mitral Regurgitation Following Balloon Mitral Valvulotomy: Echocardiographic Feature, Operative Finfing and Outcome in 50 Surgical Cases. Reference: Manjunath C. Nanjappa, et al. Catherization and Cardiovascular Intervention 81:603-608 (2013) Severe Mitral Insufficiency Following Mitral Valvotomy (VPM) is a major complication; though not frequent, (0.9%-2%) it is life threatening and requires resolution through valve replacement. The...