title: Balloon valuloplasty prior to transcatheter valve-in-valve implantation in a degenerated Mitroflow aortic bioprosthesis.
abstract: Transcatheter valve-in-valve implantation is an emerging treatment option for high-risk patients with failing aortic bioprostheses. The presence of the prosthesis stents is thought to prevent coronary artery obstruction, a known complication of transcatheter aortic valve implantation in the native aortic valve. The Sorin Mitroflow aortic bioprosthesis (Sorin Group, Saluggia, Italy) has a particular design in that the pericardial leaflets are mounted outside the valve stent. As a consequence, the pericardial leaflets of this prosthesis may be displaced well away from the stents during the deployment of transcatheter valves. This might explain why both the cases of coronary occlusion following valve-in-valve implantation reported to date occurred in patients with a malfunctioning Mitroflow bioprosthesis. We describe a patient with a malfunctioning 25 mm Mitroflow bioprosthesis successfully treated by percutaneous transcatheter valve-in-valve implantation, and discuss the role that balloon aortic valvuloplasty plays in the performance of this delicate procedure.
authors: Operative Unit of Cardiac Surgery, G Pasquinucci Hospital, G Monasterio Foundation, Massa, Italy. acerillo@yahoo.com
authors: Alfredo Giuseppe
authors: AG
authors: Cerillo
authors: Sergio
authors: S
authors: Berti
authors: Mattia
authors: M
authors: Glauber
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D001021:Aortic Valve / Q000601:surgery*; D001022:Aortic Valve Insufficiency / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy*; D063126:Balloon Valvuloplasty; D001705:Bioprosthesis; D006328:Cardiac Catheterization / Q000295:instrumentation*; D006350:Heart Valve Prosthesis; D019918:Heart Valve Prosthesis Implantation / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000295:instrumentation*; D006801:Humans; D011474:Prosthesis Design; D011475:Prosthesis Failure; D016896:Treatment Outcome