Miriam Brinkert

Subclinical leaflet thrombosis, identified as hypoattenuated leaflet thickening (HALT) on cardiac computed tomography scan, has been observed after transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR). However, data on HALT after the implant of the supra-annular ACURATE neo/neo2 prosthesis are limited. This study aimed to determine the prevalence and risk factors for the development of HALT after TAVR with the ACURATE neo/neo2. A total of 50 patients who received the ACURATE neo/neo2 prosthesis were prospectively enrolled...

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BACKGROUND: One-third of patients undergoing transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) have an indication for long-term oral anticoagulation (OAC). AIMS: We aimed to investigate whether continued non-vitamin K antagonist oral anticoagulant (NOAC) therapy compared with continued vitamin K antagonist (VKA) therapy during TAVI is equally safe and effective.  Methods: Consecutive patients on OAC with either NOAC or VKA undergoing transfemoral TAVI at five European centres were enrolled...

The "Mickey Mouse Heart" Abstract. The "Mickey Mouse Heart" describes patients with a combination of HFpEF, massive biatrial dilatation and dilatation of the mitral- and tricuspid annulus, atrial fibrillation and severe mitral- and tricuspid regurgitation. Most frequently elderly patients with HFpEF are affected by this syndrome. The underlying molecular mechanisms or risk factors for the typical biatrial dilatation are unknown. The guideline-directed heart failure therapy as well as the evaluation of early rhythm control for atrial fibrillation and the treatment of mitral- and tricuspid regurgitation are recommended...

No abstract text is available yet for this article.

The transcatheter heart valve (THV) embolization is a rare but challenging complication in transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI). We report the case of an 81-year-old man with Sapien 3 embolization caused by interrupted rapid pacing. In this setting, we describe the embolized THV management and the technique of the second Sapien 3 implantation.

BACKGROUND: Thin-strut biodegradable polymer sirolimus-eluting stents (BP-SES) have been shown to reduce target lesion failure (TLF) at one-year follow-up compared with durable polymer everolimus-eluting stents (DP-EES) among patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS). The long-term clinical benefits of thin-strut BP-SES over DP-EES in ACS patients after complete degradation of the polymer coating remain uncertain. METHODS: We performed a post-hoc subgroup analysis of ACS patients included into the BIOSCIENCE randomized trial (NCT01443104)...

OBJECTIVES: This study investigated whether transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) with peri-procedural continuation of oral anticoagulation is equally safe and efficacious as TAVR with peri-procedural interruption of anticoagulation. BACKGROUND: A significant proportion of patients undergoing TAVR have an indication for long-term oral anticoagulation. The optimal peri-procedural management of such patients is unknown. METHODS: Consecutive patients on oral anticoagulation who underwent transfemoral TAVR at 5 European centers were enrolled...

Cystic fibrosis is caused by mutations in the cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) gene, which lead to impaired ion transport in epithelial cells. Although lung failure due to chronic infection is the major comorbidity in individuals with cystic fibrosis, the role of CFTR in non-epithelial cells has not been definitively resolved. Given the important role of host defense cells, we evaluated the Cftr deficiency in pulmonary immune cells by hematopoietic stem cell transplantation in cystic fibrosis mice...

OBJECTIVES: Report predictors and the natural course of paravalvular leak (PVL) following implantation of the ACURATE neo transcatheter heart valve (THV). BACKGROUND: Understanding the mechanisms of PVL may help to improve patient selection, patient outcomes and the design of next-generation THVs. METHODS: A total of 30 patients (mean age 81±5 years, 47% women) undergoing transcatheter aortic valve replacement with the ACURATE neo were enrolled in the PREDICT PVL study...

Background Previous reports have described a leveling off of mortality from premature coronary artery disease (CAD). In recent years, the prevalence of cardiovascular risk factors has increased in rural communities and young adults. Methods and Results We extracted CAD mortality rates from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Wide-Ranging Online Data for Epidemiologic Research (CDC WONDER) database from 1999 to 2017, focusing on mortality from premature CAD (defined as <65 years of age in women) and urban-rural differences...

OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to investigate the safety and efficacy of ACURATE neo transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) facilitated by predilatation with the nonocclusive TrueFlow balloon catheter. BACKGROUND: Now that TAVR is moving forward, physicians have attempted to simplify and streamline the procedure and the so-called minimalist approach has become more popular. METHODS: We enrolled 142 patients (mean age: 82 ± 5 years, 61% female) in a prospective registry...

The ACURATE neo transcatheter heart valve has been associated with very low rates of new conduction disorders (CDs). We assessed the clinical relevance of new CDs in patients undergoing transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) with this valve. Data of consecutive patients without a pre-existing left bundle branch block (LBBB) or a permanent pacemaker (PPM) undergoing TAVR with the ACURATE neo were analyzed from the prospective SwissTAVI registry. Patients with new CDs were compared with patients with an unchanged electrocardiogram (ECG)...

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OBJECTIVES: This study reports an international experience using the transfemoral ACURATE neo transcatheter heart valve (Boston Scientific, Marlborough, Massachusetts) for the treatment of degenerated surgical aortic bioprostheses. BACKGROUND: Transcatheter valve-in-valve procedures have emerged as an alternative to redo surgery. Supra-annular prostheses might be particularly useful in this indication. METHODS: This is an international multicenter analysis including 85 patients from 14 centers in Europe and Canada undergoing an ACURATE neo valve-in-valve procedure from March 2015 to February 2019...

No abstract text is available yet for this article.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this paper is to report insights from the first 100 consecutive cardiovascular procedures with MANTA closure. BACKGROUND: The collagen-based MANTA vascular closure device (Teleflex, Wayne, Pennsylvania) has recently been approved for the closure of large-bore femoral access. METHODS: Procedural and access site-related complications were analyzed according to Valve Academic Research Consortium-2 criteria. Duration of bleeding after device closure was recorded...

No abstract text is available yet for this article.

BACKGROUND: The ACURATE neo prosthesis is commonly implanted using introducer sheaths with inner diameters of up to 20 French. The use of only the expandable mesh component of the transGlide introducer system (Meshonly ) would substantially decrease the inner diameter to 13 French. We sought to assess the feasibility and safety of using Meshonly for femoral access of the ACURATE neo device and to compare outcomes with patients in whom standard sheaths were used. METHODS AND RESULTS: We retrospectively analyzed a total of 551 patients with severe aortic stenosis from 4 high volume centers in Germany and Switzerland undergoing transfemoral TAVI between February 2016 and February 2018 with implantation of the ACURATE neo device...

The increasing number of severe infections with multi-drug-resistant pathogens worldwide highlights the need for alternative treatment options. Given the pivotal role of phagocytes and especially alveolar macrophages in pulmonary immunity, we introduce a new, cell-based treatment strategy to target bacterial airway infections. Here we show that the mass production of therapeutic phagocytes from induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSC) in industry-compatible, stirred-tank bioreactors is feasible. Bioreactor-derived iPSC-macrophages (iPSC-Mac) represent a highly pure population of CD45+ CD11b+ CD14+ CD163+ cells, and share important phenotypic, functional and transcriptional hallmarks with professional phagocytes, however with a distinct transcriptome signature similar to primitive macrophages...