1. Intraoperative Transesophageal Echocardiographic Predictors of Recurrent Aortic Regurgitation after Aortic Valve Repair
le Polain JB, Pouleur AC, Vancraeynest D, Pasquet A, Gerber B, Vandijck M, Noirhomme P, El Khoury G, Vanoverschelde JL
Cliniques Universitaires Saint Luc, Brussels, Belgium
Université Catholique de Louvain

2. Aim of the study
The present study examines the intraoperative echocardiographic features associated with "late failure" of aortic valve repair.

3. Method: Study population
From 12/1995 to 06/2007
186 consecutive patients (51 women, mean age: 54-Yrs)
- Aortic valve repair for significant AR
- With comprehensive pre-, intra- and follow-up echocardiography
122 pts (group A, 53- Yrs) with no AR
23 pts (group B, 50- Yrs) with > grade 1 AR
41 pts (group C, 63- Yrs) with recurrent severe AR
Compared for immediate post-operative TEE measurements.
Analysis of the cause of recurrence (group B & C).
Method.
We blindly reviewed all clinical, pre-operative, intra-operative and follow-up transesophageal echocardiographic (TEE) data of 186 consecutive patients who underwent valve repair for AR between december 1995 and June 2007 and in whom intra-operative and follow-up echo data were available. During follow-up, 122 had no or trivial AR (group A), 23 patients presented with residual AR (group B) and 41 patients had recurrent 3+ AR (group C). These three groups were compared for immediate post-operative TEE measurements. The cause of reccurence was analysed in groups B and C.

4. Method: TEE analysis 120 degree -LAX
Pre-operative and immediate postoperative TEE :
Annulus
Sinuses
ST junction
Tubular aorta
120 degree -LAX
Height of the sinuses
Coaptation length
Symmetry of the coaptation
Tips to annulus
Cusp’s belly to annulus
Schematic representation of the TEE measurements.
Following Measurements were performed preoperatively and immediately after by pass:
a: diameter of aortic annulus; b: diameter of sinuses of Valsalva; c: diameter of sino-tubular junction; d: diameter of ascending aorta; e: height of the sinus of Valsalva; f: distance from coaptation tips to aortic wall (The symmetry of coaptation within the sinuses of Valsava was estimated by the absolute difference of the distance separating the tip of the coaptation from the anterior and the posterior border of the sinus of Valsalva); g: distance from the aortic annulus to the belly of the lowest cusp (degree of cusp billowing if present), h: distance from the tip of the cusp coaptation to the aortic annulus (relative level of cusp coaptation), i: the coaptation length; α: angle between regurgitant AR jet and left ventricular outflow tract.
Eccentric Jet
Vena contracta wide

5. Results (1): Follow-up:
Mean Follow-up : 24 months
41 pts had recurrent severe AR
23 needed a REDO
F-up TEE identified the cause of repair failure as
Cusp prolapse: 26 pts
Restrictive cusp motion: 9 pts
Rupture of a pericardial patch : 3 pts
Aortic dissection : 2 pts
Endocarditis : 1 pt
Mechanism of recurence.
In patients with recurrent 3+ AR, the cause of recurrent AR was the rupture of a pericardial patch in 3 patients, a residual cusp prolapse in 26 patients, a restrictive cusp motion in 9 patients, an aortic dissection in 2 patients and an infective endocarditis in the remaining patient.

6. Results (2): Pre-operative characteristics
Before surgery
Group A
(n=112)
Group B (n=23)
Group C
(n=41)
P value
Bicuspid (%) 40 17 37
0.12
Marfan (%) 9 15
<0.001
Restrictive AR (%) 13 43 46
Annulus (mm)
25 ± 4
24 ± 4
26 ± 6
0.27
Sinus (mm)
40 ± 8
39 ± 9
41 ± 13
0.61
ST jct° (mm)
35 ± 9
34 ± 9
0.93
Tubular Ao (mm)
42 ± 11
39 ± 8
37 ± 13
0.14
Pre-operative measurements.
Pre-operatively, all three groups were similar for aortic root dimensions and prevalence of bicuspid valve (overall 37%). Patients with recurrent AR were more likely to display Marfan disease or type 3 dysfunction pre-operatively.

7. Results (3): immediate post-op TEE:
After surgery
Group A
(n=112)
Group B (n=23)
Group C
(n=41)
P value
Coapt. Length (mm)
6.6 ± 2.8
3.2 ± 1.4
2.2 ± 1.6
<0.001
Tips - annulus (mm)
6.9 ± 4.3
3.0 ± 3.1
0.1 ± 4.2
Cusp - annulus (mm)
-1.2 ± 2.8
-1.5 ± 3.2
- 3.9 ± 4.8
Vena contracta (mm)
0.1 ± 1.1
2.4 ± 1.7
2.6 ± 1.4
Eccentric Jet (%) 9 30 73
Annulus (mm)
21 ± 4
26 ± 4
Sinus (mm)
29 ± 5
30 ± 5
31 ± 5
0.04
ST jct° (mm)
24 ± 4
27 ± 4
<0.01
Immediate post-operative measurements.
After cardiopulmonary bypass, the dimensions of the aortic annulus, the sinuses of Valsalva and the sino-tubular junction were all significantly larger in patients with ≥3+ AR at follow-up than in the other 2 groups. The length of coaptation and the level of coaptation relative to the annulus decreased gradually throughout the three groups (from patients without AR to those with ≥3+ AR). Patients exhibiting any degree of AR at follow-up were also more likely to exhibit residual AR immediately upon weaning from bypass than patients with no or trivial AR at follow-up. As a consequence, the width of their AR jet was larger than that of patients without residual AR. The AR jet was also more frequently eccentric in patients with ≥3+ AR than in the other groups.

8. Results (4): Cox univariate analysis
Preoperative
Type 3 AR
Marfan disease
Postoperative
The coaptation length
The degree of cusp billowing
The level of coaptation (relative to the annulus)
The diameter of the aortic annulus
The diameter sino-tubular junction
The presence of a residual AR
The severity of residual AR (vena contracta width)
Were found to correlates with AR failure
Univariate analysis.

9. Results (4): Cox multivariate analysis
Independent predictors of late AR recurrence
Multivariate analysis HR
IC 95% exp β
P value
Coapt. Length
0.82
[0.63 – 1.00 ]
=0.05
Tips below the annulus
7.90
[ ]
<0.01
Residual AR
5.30
[ ]
=0.01
Aortic annulus
1.18
[ ]
Multivariate analysis.
After cardiopulmonary bypass, multivariate Cox analysis identified a shorter coaptation length (OR=0.8, p=0.05), a coaptation occurring below the level of the aortic annulus (OR= 7.9, p<0.01), a larger aortic annulus (OR=1.2, p=0.01) and residual aortic regurgitation (OR=5.3, p=0.01) as risk factors of repair failure.

10. TEE decision chart
Intraoperative TEE strategy to recognize patients at risk for repair failure.
The 3 most powerful predictors of the presence of ≥3+ AR at follow-up were used to construct a stepwise clinical algorithm based on the immediate post-operative TEE data, which could be used intra-operatively to predict the risk of subsequent recurrent AR. The first step in this algorithm was to examine the level of coaptation relative to the aortic annulus. Whenever the level of coaptation was below the aortic annulus, the risk of ≥3+ AR at follow-up was high (71%). In patients whose level of coaptation was above the aortic annulus, the second step consisted in evaluating the presence or absence of residual AR. In the absence of residual AR, the risk of ≥3+ AR at follow-up was low (2%). In patients whose level of coaptation was above the aortic annulus and who exhibited any degree residual AR intra-operatively, the third and last step consisted of measuring the length of coaptation. When the coaptation length was ≥4 mm, the risk of having ≥3+ AR at follow-up was low (5%). By contrast, when the coaptation length was <4 mm, the risk of ≥3+ AR increased to 47%.

11. 4-years Survival free from redo according to TEE
Tips < annulus
Tips > annulus Residual AR CL < 4mm
Tips > annulus No Residual AR
Tips > annulus Residual AR
CL > 4mm
4-years Survival free from redo according to TEE.
Kaplan-Meier estimates of 4-years survival free from recurrence of ≥3+ AR in patients whose coaptation was below the level of the aortic annulus (White line), in those whose coaptation was above the aortic annulus and either had no residual AR (pink line) or displayed residual AR with (blue line) or without (Yellow line) a coaptation length <4 mm.
Log rank p < 0.001

12. Example pre and immediate post operative TEE of patient with late failure
Pre-op TEE: Post-op TEE:
Case failure example.
Representative example of immediate post-repair intra-operative and late post- repair TEE in a patients with ≥3+ recurrent AR. The post-repair intra-operative TEE illustrates poor, low coaptation level and eccentric residual AR jets. In this case, the follow-up echocardiography as well as the surgical inspection identified symmetric cusp prolapse as the cause of AR recurrence.

13. Conclusion:
Our results demonstrate that intraoperative TEE can be used to identify pts undergoing AR repair who are at increased risk for late repair failure