Turk Kardiyol Dern Ars. 2012; 40(7): 632-641 | DOI: 10.5543/tkda.2012.84883

Percutaneous closure of paravalvular mitral regurgitation with Vascular Plug III under the guidance of real-time three-dimensional transesophageal echocardiography

Mehmet Özkan¹, Ozan Mustafa Gürsoy¹, Mehmet Ali Astarcıoğlu¹, Nina Wunderlich², Horst Sievert^2
1Department of Cardiology, Koşuyolu Kartal Heart Training And Research Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey
²Department of Cardiology, Cardiovascular Center Frankfurt, Frankfurt, Germany

Transcatheter closure of mitral prosthetic paravalvular leak (PVL) has been hampered by technical challenges and the lack of closure devices specifically designed for this purpose. The oblong cross-sectional shape of the Amplatzer Vascular Plug III device (AVP) may be a more appropriate choice to be deployed for mitral PVL’s. Real-time three-dimensional transesophageal echocardiography (RT-3D TEE) has emerged as an efficient tool that provides essential information concerning leakage size, location, and shape as well as navigation of catheters and wires. We assessed the feasibility and short, mid, and long-term efficacy of transcatheter mitral PVL closure using AVP-III under the guidance of RT-3D TEE. Three patients with severe symptomatic mitral PVL at high risk for repeat surgery underwent transcatheter leak closure with AVP III. Transfemoral approaches were used under RT-3D TEE guidance. Transcatheter closure of mitral PVLs was performed successfully in 3 patients using 5 devices. The first patient with 2 devices deployed had residual mitral regurgitation resulting in re-operation at the sixth month. The second patient had improved normally with a functioning prosthesis after the deployment of two devices, but had progressively worsening mitral regurgitation for which re-operation at the sixteenth month of follow-up was necessary. The third patient had no residual leak, with normal prosthetic function. At 24 months follow-up, all patients were in satisfactory clinical status. Although RT-3D TEE plays an essential role in guidance of transcatheter closure of mitral PVLs with AVP III, the absence of a specific closure device limits mid and long-term success rates.

Keywords: Adult, angiography, heart catheterization/methods; heart septal defects, ventricular/therapy; instrumentation; mitral valve insufficiency/etiology

---

CITE