Background: Minimally invasive mitral valve surgery (MIMVS) has been increasingly adopted worldwide as an alternative to conventional sternotomy, especially for young patients. The remarkable results gained by MIMVS have encouraged its application in more complex and fragile patients, such as the elderly, though results in this subgroup remain controversial. It is the aim of this study to assess the postoperative outcomes of patients older than 75 years old undergoing MIMVS, and to compare these results to those of younger patients. Methods: The data of all patients undergoing MIMVS between 2015 and 2022 were retrospectively collected at seven high-volume cardiac surgery centers. Patients were divided into two age-based groups: the young (75 years old). A propensity score (PS) matching analysis obtained two comparable groups. Postoperative outcomes were assessed in both the unmatched and PS-matched populations. Results: Out of 1113 patients undergoing MIMVS, 524 were young and 279 were elderly. Elderly patients were more commonly affected by multiple comorbidities, with a higher EuroSCORE II (4.6 ± 5.5% vs. 1.6 ± 3.3%, p < 0.001). There was no difference in postoperative mortality, though the elderly had a greater incidence of postoperative complications, such as re-exploration for bleeding, stroke, reintubation, and a need for hemodialysis and blood transfusions. After PS matching, 119 pairs of young and elderly patients with similar risk profiles (EuroSCORE II 2.5 ± 4.7% vs. 2.7 ± 3.2%, p = 0.7) were compared, and no differences in all postoperative outcomes were found. Conclusions: Adequately selected elderly patients can report hospital outcomes similar to young patients after MIMVS.

Objectives: This study aimed to compare gender-related differences in short- and long-term outcomes after transcatheter aortic valve implantation.Methods: Patients who underwent transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) for severe aortic stenosis (AS) from September 2017 to December 2022 were enrolled. The primary endpoint was 5-year all-cause mortality. The secondary endpoints were 30-day mortality and the incidence of post-procedural complication. Patients were separated according to gender before statistical analysis. To compare patients with similar baseline characteristics, we performed a propensity matching.Results: A total of 704 patients [females, 361 (51.3%); males, 343 (48.7%)] were enrolled. Compared to women, men had a higher incidence of smoking (40.5% vs. 14.7%, p < 0.001), diabetes (32.9% vs. 25.1%, p < 0.025), peripheral artery disease (35.8% vs. 18.3%, p < 0.001), and previous cardiac surgery (13.7% vs. 7.2%, p = 0.006) and a lower ejection fraction [56.6 (9.3) vs. 59.8 (7.5), p = 0.046]. Female patients were frailer at the time of the procedure [poor mobility rate, 26% vs. 11.7%, p < 0.001; CCI (Charlson comorbidity index) 2.4 (0.67) vs. 2.32 (0.63), p = 0.04]. Despite these different risk profiles, no significant differences were reported in terms of post-procedural outcomes and long-term survival. Propensity score matching resulted in a good match of 204 patients in each group (57.9% of the entire study population). In the matched cohort, men had a significantly higher incidence of new pacemaker implantation compared to women [33 (16.2%) vs. 18 (8.8%)]. The Kaplan–Meier 5-year survival estimate was 82.4% for women and 72.1% for men, p = 0.038.Conclusions: Female gender could be considered as a predictor of better outcomes after TAVI.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of our study is to compare post-procedural outcomes and mid-term mortality of low-risk patients treated by transfemoral TAVI or surgical aortic valve replacement (AVR) for severe aortic stenosis. METHODS: Data of consecutive patients undergoing AVR or TAVI from September 2017 to December 2021 were prospectively collected and retrospectively reviewed. Eligible patients were aged between 75 and 85 years with low-surgical risk and isolated severe aortic stenosis. Exclusion criteria were prior heart surgery, valve-in-valve procedure and the need for concomitant procedures. The primary end-point was mid-term all-cause mortality. RESULTS: Three hundred fifty-one patients were enrolled. Of these, 243 underwent TAVI and 108 underwent AVR. Compared to AVR, TAVI patients were older (82 [78–83 ] vs 78 [77–80], P < 0.001), with higher incidence of advanced chronic kidney disease (33.3% vs 15.7%, P < 0.001) and poor mobility (15.6% vs 5.6%, P = 0.008) and a higher Euroscore II (2.2 [1.72–2.98] vs 1.9 [1.31–2.46 ], P = 0.002). AVR patients had a higher incidence of post-procedural AKI (29.6% vs 4.5%, P < 0.001), while TAVI patients had a higher incidence of LBBB (23.9% vs 1.8%, P < 0.001) and at least mild to moderate PVL (4.5% vs 0%, P = 0.021). Mid-term mortality was higher among TAVI patients (HR 0.38 [95% CI 0.23–0.88], P = 0.020). In the matched cohort, TAVI had a higher incidence of LBBB (11.5% vs 1.3%, P = 0.018) and permanent PM implantation (12.8% vs 5.1%, P = 0.041), while AVR patients had a higher incidence of post-procedural AKI (33.3% vs 5.1%, P < 0.001). Mid-term mortality was higher in TAVI patients (HR 0.36 [95% CI 0.21–0.87], P = 0.019). CONCLUSIONS: TAVI patients demonstrated a higher mid-term mortality and a higher incidence of post-procedural conduction abnormalities and PVL which remain a concern in low-risk patients.

Background In the last years, transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) indication has expanded to younger and lower risk patients. Consequently, interest in mid and long-term follow up and in the role of life expectancy, as a key factor for selecting the most tailored treatment, has grown. The aim of this retrospective study is to compare the 4-year survival of patients who underwent aortic valve replacement (AVR) vs. TAVI at our department. Methods From September 2017 to December 2020, 673 consecutive patients with severe aortic valve stenosis were enrolled for AVR (n = 283) or TAVI (n = 390). Inclusion criteria was isolated severe aortic stenosis, while exclusion criteria were redo surgery, valve-in-valve procedure and the need for concomitant surgical procedures. Based on the Lee index, patients were divided into four groups according to their 4-year life expectancy. Four-year survival was assessed and reported using the Kaplan-Meier method. A multivariate regression analysis of risk factors for 4-year mortality was performed. Results Four years survival is always superior in the AVR patients (89.8% vs. 75.6%, P < 0.001). Surgery is associated with a higher incidence of acute kidney injury (23% vs. 5.1%, P < 0.001), while TAVI is related to a higher incidence of new onset left bundle branch block (0 vs. 23.8%, P < 0.001), pace-maker implantation (2.5% vs. 11.8%, P = 0,02) and mild-to-moderate paravalvular leak (0.3% vs. 5.4%, P < 0.001). The independent risk factors for 4-years mortality are post-procedural AKI, poor mobility and transcatheter procedure. ConclusionIn our analysis, 4 years survival is always superior in the AVR patients. Life expectancy is a key factor for selecting the most appropriate approach for each patient. A longer follow up is mandatory before extending TAVI indication to patients with a long-life expectancy.

Objectives: Papillary muscle rupture (PMR) is a rare but potentially fatal mechanical complication after acute myocardial infarction (AMI). Although surgery is considered the gold-standard treatment for post-AMI PMR, the optimal surgical strategy remains unclear. Methods: Data from post-AMI PMR patients submitted to mitral valve replacement (MVR) or mitral valve repair (MVr) surgery in the period between 2001 and 2019, from 20 international centres, were collected in the CAUTION study database. In-hospital and long-term post-discharge mortality were the endpoints. A multivariable logistic regression model was used to determine mortality independent factors. Results: The patient cohort available included 218 patients. MVR was the most frequent type of surgery (81.6%). Complete PMR was more common in the MVR group (71.9%, P = .008), while partial PMR was more frequent in MVr patients (75%, P = .008). In-hospital mortality rate was 25.8% in the MVR subgroup and 20% in MVr subjects (P = .440). In MVR subgroup, concomitant coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) was associated with lower in-hospital mortality (n = 20/96, 21%) than no concomitant CABG (31.7%, P = .035). Survival at 1, 3, 5, and 10 years was 59.3%, 55.9%, 53.1%, 46.9% in the MVR group and 59.9%, 56.8%, 54.1%, and 43.2% in MVr patients, respectively, with no statistical differences (P = .474). Patients underwent MVr surgery, and 1-, 3-, 5-, and 10-year survival was 79.8%, 75.4%, 68.5%, and 37.5%, respectively, when CABG revascularization was performed, while no CABG survival was 16.7%, 16.7%, 8.3%, and 8.3% (P < .001). Conclusions: MVR is the most commonly performed in complete post-AMI PMR and MVr in partial PMR. No differences were observed regarding in-hospital and long-term mortality in the 2 surgical groups, and no independent factors were associated with overall mortality. Concomitant CABG was associated with higher in-hospital survival. Clinical Registration Number: Clinicaltrials.gov, NCT03848429.