Hemodynamic support with Impella ventricular assist device in patients undergoing TAVI: A single center experience.

BACKGROUND: Transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) has become a well-established therapeutic option for patients with severe aortic stenosis (AS) at high to intermediate surgical risk. Although TAVI is associated with low mortality of 1.2-6.5%, cardiogenic shock (CS) as a peri-interventional complication remains a challenging problem with very high morbidity and mortality.

AIM: This study evaluated the clinical outcome of the use of Impella ventricular assist device in patients undergoing TAVI.

METHODS: Between 11/2015 and 08/2018, all patients undergoing TAVI requiring temporary circulatory during the same index hospitalization were included. Primary endpoint was 30-day all-cause mortality. Secondary endpoints were peri-interventional mortality and 30-day stroke rate.

RESULTS: Of the 390 patients undergoing TAVI, 13 (3%) required hemodynamic support with an Impella device. Of these, 3 (23%) underwent protected high-risk PCI before TAVI and 10 patients (77%) needed emergency periprocedural hemodynamic support due to cardiogenic shock. Mortality at 30 days was 0% in Impella-protected PCI and 40% with Impella use for periprocedural CS. No stroke occurred in the cohort up to 30 days. Insertion of the Impella device in the setting of TAVI was fast with a mean insertion time of 10 min. Eight patients (80%) in the periprocedural CS group required cardiopulmonary resuscitation prior to Impella use. There was only one device-related complication.

CONCLUSIONS: Temporary hemodynamic support with the Impella device in patients with severe aortic valve stenosis or in CS secondary to complicated TAVI was technically doable and allowed stabilization and treatment of salvageable patients.