Conduction disorders following transcatheter aortic valve replacement using acurate Neo2 transcatheter heart valve: A propensity matched analysis.

BACKGROUND: The ACURATE neo2 transcatheter aortic valve was developed to improve paravalvular leak (PVL) rates while maintaining low rates of conduction disturbances and permanent pacemaker implantation (PPMI) seen with its predecessor. We aimed to compare conduction disturbances rates of transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) using ACURATE Neo2 with other commonly used valves.

METHODS: A retrospective analysis of the Israeli TAVR registry between the years 2014-2023 was performed to compare conduction disturbances and PVL rates, and procedural outcomes, among patients treated with ACURATE neo2, Edwards Sapien 3 (S3), and Evolut PRO valves. Propensity score matching was performed to compare groups with similar characteristics.

RESULTS: Following exclusion of patients with non-femoral access, unknown valve type, older-generation valves, and less commonly used valves or (n = 4387), our analysis included 3208 patients undergoing TAVR using ACURATE neo2, Edwards S3, and Evolut PRO valves. Propensity matched groups comprised 169 patients each. Rates of any conduction disturbances [left bundle branch block (LBBB), atrioventricular block, or PPMI] were lower in the ACURATE neo2 group compared to both other valves [15.8 %, S3-37.5 % (p < 0.001), Evolut PRO-27.5 % (p = 0.02)] as were LBBB rates [9.0 %, S3-31.3 % (p < 0.001); Evolut PRO-20.1 % (p = 0.01). Atrioventricular block and PPMI rates were lower without statistical significance, as were rates of above-moderate PVL.

CONCLUSIONS: In this analysis, TAVR using ACURATE neo2 was associated with a lower composite rate of conduction disturbances in comparison to the Evolut PRO and Edwards S3 valves, mainly due to lower left bundle branch block rates, with non-significantly lower rates of PPMI and PVL.