Mitral valve bioprosthetic shows durability

NEW YORK – After following more than 400 patients who underwent mitral valve replacement for almost 25 years, French investigators have found that the Carpentier-Edwards Perimount Pericardial prosthetic has an expected durability of more than 16 years, with a low incidence of valve-related complications. The findings were presented by Dr. Thierry Bourguignon as one of the Plenary "Top 10" abstracts at the AATS Mitral Conclave.

"This is a great study. This very-long-term data has been missing for the Carpentier-Edwards Perimount bioprosthetic," said session moderator Dr. David H. Adams of Mount Sinai Medical Center in New York.

In this prospective study, investigators followed 404 patients who underwent mitral valve replacement between August 1984 and March 2011; 46 of these patients eventually needed a second bioprosthesis. Patients were asked to complete yearly clinical questionnaires and undergo an echocardiographic study. Their mean age was 68 years, but the range was 22-89 years. Almost one-fifth of the group was aged 60 years or younger. The mean follow-up time was 7.2 years, although it ranged from 0 to 24.8 years. Ten patients were lost during follow-up, yielding almost a 98% completion rate. Fifty-seven percent were New York Heart Association (NYHA) class III or IV.

The operative mortality rate was 3.3%. A total of 188 patients had late death (5.8%/valve-year). Forty of the deaths were valve related, including 5 due to thromboembolism, 4 to hemorrhage, 4 to endocarditis, 4 to structural valve dysfunction (SVD), and 23 to sudden death. Valve-related survival was more than 60% at 20 years post surgery. Risk factors affecting late survival were age at implant (hazard ratio, 1.06; P less than .001) and preoperative NYHA class III or IV (HR, 1.86; P less than .001).

"Valve-related events, including endocarditis, thromboembolism, and bleeding, were rare," said Dr. Bourguignon, a cardiovascular surgeon at Trousseau Hospital in Chambray Les Tours, France. There were no cases of valve thrombosis.

Seventy-six patients had an SVD, which was defined by echocardiography as severe mitral regurgitation and/or having a mean gradient of more than 8 mm Hg, even if patients were asymptomatic. Of these, 63 were reoperated and 13 died before reoperation. Three-quarters of the valves failed due to calcification, while 20% had late leaflet tears and 4% had mixed problems.

For the entire group, it took an average of 16.6 years before an SVD occurred, although freedom from SVD differed according to age at surgery. Older patients fared better. After 16.6 years, 75% of those over age 70 were expected to be free from SVD, while the rates were lower for those between 60 and 70 years (52%) and those under age 60 (40%). Older patients were also less likely to need the valve removed due to SVD.

What should a surgeon tell a patient about the risk of needing another operation to replace a failing mitral valve bioprosthetic? Using competing risk analysis, the authors predict that, for example, a 60-year-old patient at time of surgery will have a 20% chance of requiring reoperation due to an SVD after 11.9 years.

"In our experience, the CE Perimount valve is a reliable choice for patients older than 60, depending on the accepted risk of reoperation," said Dr. Bourguignon. Addressing a question from the audience, Dr. Bourguignon suggested that although the 25-year data were not available as yet for aortic valve replacements, preliminary findings indicate aortic valve replacement with bioprosthetics lasts longer than mitral valve replacement. At his hospital, patients under age 60 generally receive mechanical valves.

The conclave was sponsored by the American Association for Thoracic Surgery.

Dr. Bourguignon has a financial relationship with Edwards Lifesciences.

NEW YORK – After following more than 400 patients who underwent mitral valve replacement for almost 25 years, French investigators have found that the Carpentier-Edwards Perimount Pericardial prosthetic has an expected durability of more than 16 years, with a low incidence of valve-related complications. The findings were presented by Dr. Thierry Bourguignon as one of the Plenary "Top 10" abstracts at the AATS Mitral Conclave.

"This is a great study. This very-long-term data has been missing for the Carpentier-Edwards Perimount bioprosthetic," said session moderator Dr. David H. Adams of Mount Sinai Medical Center in New York.

In this prospective study, investigators followed 404 patients who underwent mitral valve replacement between August 1984 and March 2011; 46 of these patients eventually needed a second bioprosthesis. Patients were asked to complete yearly clinical questionnaires and undergo an echocardiographic study. Their mean age was 68 years, but the range was 22-89 years. Almost one-fifth of the group was aged 60 years or younger. The mean follow-up time was 7.2 years, although it ranged from 0 to 24.8 years. Ten patients were lost during follow-up, yielding almost a 98% completion rate. Fifty-seven percent were New York Heart Association (NYHA) class III or IV.

The operative mortality rate was 3.3%. A total of 188 patients had late death (5.8%/valve-year). Forty of the deaths were valve related, including 5 due to thromboembolism, 4 to hemorrhage, 4 to endocarditis, 4 to structural valve dysfunction (SVD), and 23 to sudden death. Valve-related survival was more than 60% at 20 years post surgery. Risk factors affecting late survival were age at implant (hazard ratio, 1.06; P less than .001) and preoperative NYHA class III or IV (HR, 1.86; P less than .001).

"Valve-related events, including endocarditis, thromboembolism, and bleeding, were rare," said Dr. Bourguignon, a cardiovascular surgeon at Trousseau Hospital in Chambray Les Tours, France. There were no cases of valve thrombosis.

Seventy-six patients had an SVD, which was defined by echocardiography as severe mitral regurgitation and/or having a mean gradient of more than 8 mm Hg, even if patients were asymptomatic. Of these, 63 were reoperated and 13 died before reoperation. Three-quarters of the valves failed due to calcification, while 20% had late leaflet tears and 4% had mixed problems.

For the entire group, it took an average of 16.6 years before an SVD occurred, although freedom from SVD differed according to age at surgery. Older patients fared better. After 16.6 years, 75% of those over age 70 were expected to be free from SVD, while the rates were lower for those between 60 and 70 years (52%) and those under age 60 (40%). Older patients were also less likely to need the valve removed due to SVD.

What should a surgeon tell a patient about the risk of needing another operation to replace a failing mitral valve bioprosthetic? Using competing risk analysis, the authors predict that, for example, a 60-year-old patient at time of surgery will have a 20% chance of requiring reoperation due to an SVD after 11.9 years.

"In our experience, the CE Perimount valve is a reliable choice for patients older than 60, depending on the accepted risk of reoperation," said Dr. Bourguignon. Addressing a question from the audience, Dr. Bourguignon suggested that although the 25-year data were not available as yet for aortic valve replacements, preliminary findings indicate aortic valve replacement with bioprosthetics lasts longer than mitral valve replacement. At his hospital, patients under age 60 generally receive mechanical valves.

The conclave was sponsored by the American Association for Thoracic Surgery.

Dr. Bourguignon has a financial relationship with Edwards Lifesciences.

NEW YORK – After following more than 400 patients who underwent mitral valve replacement for almost 25 years, French investigators have found that the Carpentier-Edwards Perimount Pericardial prosthetic has an expected durability of more than 16 years, with a low incidence of valve-related complications. The findings were presented by Dr. Thierry Bourguignon as one of the Plenary "Top 10" abstracts at the AATS Mitral Conclave.

"This is a great study. This very-long-term data has been missing for the Carpentier-Edwards Perimount bioprosthetic," said session moderator Dr. David H. Adams of Mount Sinai Medical Center in New York.

In this prospective study, investigators followed 404 patients who underwent mitral valve replacement between August 1984 and March 2011; 46 of these patients eventually needed a second bioprosthesis. Patients were asked to complete yearly clinical questionnaires and undergo an echocardiographic study. Their mean age was 68 years, but the range was 22-89 years. Almost one-fifth of the group was aged 60 years or younger. The mean follow-up time was 7.2 years, although it ranged from 0 to 24.8 years. Ten patients were lost during follow-up, yielding almost a 98% completion rate. Fifty-seven percent were New York Heart Association (NYHA) class III or IV.

The operative mortality rate was 3.3%. A total of 188 patients had late death (5.8%/valve-year). Forty of the deaths were valve related, including 5 due to thromboembolism, 4 to hemorrhage, 4 to endocarditis, 4 to structural valve dysfunction (SVD), and 23 to sudden death. Valve-related survival was more than 60% at 20 years post surgery. Risk factors affecting late survival were age at implant (hazard ratio, 1.06; P less than .001) and preoperative NYHA class III or IV (HR, 1.86; P less than .001).

"Valve-related events, including endocarditis, thromboembolism, and bleeding, were rare," said Dr. Bourguignon, a cardiovascular surgeon at Trousseau Hospital in Chambray Les Tours, France. There were no cases of valve thrombosis.

Seventy-six patients had an SVD, which was defined by echocardiography as severe mitral regurgitation and/or having a mean gradient of more than 8 mm Hg, even if patients were asymptomatic. Of these, 63 were reoperated and 13 died before reoperation. Three-quarters of the valves failed due to calcification, while 20% had late leaflet tears and 4% had mixed problems.

For the entire group, it took an average of 16.6 years before an SVD occurred, although freedom from SVD differed according to age at surgery. Older patients fared better. After 16.6 years, 75% of those over age 70 were expected to be free from SVD, while the rates were lower for those between 60 and 70 years (52%) and those under age 60 (40%). Older patients were also less likely to need the valve removed due to SVD.

What should a surgeon tell a patient about the risk of needing another operation to replace a failing mitral valve bioprosthetic? Using competing risk analysis, the authors predict that, for example, a 60-year-old patient at time of surgery will have a 20% chance of requiring reoperation due to an SVD after 11.9 years.

"In our experience, the CE Perimount valve is a reliable choice for patients older than 60, depending on the accepted risk of reoperation," said Dr. Bourguignon. Addressing a question from the audience, Dr. Bourguignon suggested that although the 25-year data were not available as yet for aortic valve replacements, preliminary findings indicate aortic valve replacement with bioprosthetics lasts longer than mitral valve replacement. At his hospital, patients under age 60 generally receive mechanical valves.

The conclave was sponsored by the American Association for Thoracic Surgery.

Dr. Bourguignon has a financial relationship with Edwards Lifesciences.