title: Transcatheter pulmonary valve implantation using the Edwards SAPIEN transcatheter heart valve.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Conduits placed in the right ventricular outflow tract (RVOT) have limited longevity which often requires increasingly complex reoperations. Transcatheter pulmonary valve implantation improves conduit hemodynamics through a minimally invasive approach. We present data for 7 patients treated with the Edwards SAPIEN transcatheter heart valve (THV).
  
  
  METHODS
  Patients' ranged in age from 16 to 52 years, one was female, and all had NYHA class II-III symptoms. Patients had pulmonary homografts that had been placed 2-25 years earlier during the Ross procedure (n = 4), repaired double outlet right ventricle with situs inversus (n = 1), or Rastelli repair for D-TGA, pulmonary atresia, and ventricular septal defect (n = 2). Patients had either severe pulmonary stenosis and/or moderate to severe pulmonary regurgitation.
  
  
  RESULTS
  All patients had successful percutaneous implantation of the 23 mm SAPIEN THV under general anesthesia. Fluoroscopy times ranged from 16 to 49 mins and procedure times ranged from 110 to 237 mins. The RV:systemic pressure ratio decreased from 78 +/- 18 to 39 +/- 8%, the RVOT gradient improved from 60.7 +/- 24.3 to 14.9 +/- 6.9 mm Hg, no patients had pulmonary insufficiency, and all patients had symptom improvement. At a maximum follow-up of 3.5 years (median 22.5 months), Doppler peak gradients ranged from 7-36 mm Hg, and there is no evidence of late stent fracture or structural valve failure.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The SAPIEN THV can be used successfully in the treatment of patients with right ventricle to pulmonary artery homograft failure. The valve is durable to at least 3.5 years without stent fracture or regurgitation. Clinical trials are underway to assess the long-term safety and efficacy of this valve.
authors.affiliation: St. Paul's Hospital, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada.
authors.forename: Robert H
authors.initials: RH
authors.lastname: Boone
authors.forename: John G
authors.initials: JG
authors.lastname: Webb
authors.forename: Eric
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Horlick
authors.forename: Lee
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Benson
authors.forename: Qi-Ling
authors.initials: QL
authors.lastname: Cao
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Nadeem
authors.forename: Marla
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kiess
authors.forename: Ziyad M
authors.initials: ZM
authors.lastname: Hijazi
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000818:Animals; D001705:Bioprosthesis; D002404:Catheterization / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000295:instrumentation*; D002417:Cattle; D015150:Echocardiography, Doppler; D005260:Female; D006330:Heart Defects, Congenital / Q000601:surgery; D006350:Heart Valve Prosthesis; D019918:Heart Valve Prosthesis Implantation / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods*; D006439:Hemodynamics; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010496:Pericardium / Q000637:transplantation*; D011474:Prosthesis Design; D011475:Prosthesis Failure; D011665:Pulmonary Valve Insufficiency / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy*; D011666:Pulmonary Valve Stenosis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy*; D015641:Radiography, Interventional; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055815:Young Adult