Sutureless replacement versus transcatheter valve implantation in aortic valve stenosis: A propensity-matched analysis of 2 strategies in high-risk patients

Objective This propensity-matched study compared clinical and echocardiographic outcomes between patients undergoing transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) and sutureless aortic valve replacement. Methods From January 2010 to March 2012, 122 patients (age 79.4 ± 5.3 years, logistic euroSCORE 12% ± 8.4%) underwent minimally invasive sutureless aortic valve replacement, and 122 (age 84.6 ± 6.2 years, logistic euroSCORE 20.9% ± 2.5%) underwent TAVI. After propensity matching, 37 matched pairs were available for analysis. Results Preoperative characteristics and risk scores of matched groups were comparable. In-hospital mortalities were 0% in the sutureless group and 8.1% (n = 3) in the TAVI group (P =.24). Permanent pacemaker implantation was required in 4 patients in the sutureless group and 1 patient in the TAVI group (10.8% vs 2.7%; P =.18). A neurologic event was recorded in 2 patients of each group. Predischarge echocardiographic data showed higher paravalvular leak rate in the TAVI group (13.5% vs 0%; P =.027). At mean follow-up of 18.9 ± 10.1 months, overall cumulative survival was 91.9% and significantly differed between groups (sutureless 97.3% vs TAVI 86.5%; P =.015). In the TAVI group, a significant difference in mortality was observed between patients with (n = 20) and without (n = 17) paravalvular leak (25% vs 0%; P =.036). Conclusions Combining the advantage of standard diseased valve removal with shorter procedural times, minimally invasive sutureless aortic valve replacement may be the first-line treatment for high-risk patients considered in the "gray zone" between TAVI and conventional surgery. Copyright © 2014 by The American Association for Thoracic Surgery.