Powered by the Evidence-based Practice Centers
Evidence Reports All of EHC
Evidence Reports All of EHC

SHARE:

FacebookTwitterFacebookPrintShare

Percutaneous Heart Valve Replacement

Technical Brief ARCHIVED Aug 2, 2010
Download PDF files for this report here.

Page Contents

People using assistive technology may not be able to fully access information in these files. For additional assistance, please contact us.

Archived: This report is greater than 3 years old. Findings may be used for research purposes, but should not be considered current.

Abstract

Objectives

To describe the types of prosthetic heart valves now in use and in development, summarize clinical studies completed or under way, and discuss factors that may impact clinical outcomes for percutaneous heart valve (PHV) replacement.

Data Sources

MEDLINE®, EMBASE®, and gray literature sources.

Review Methods

We searched the English-language literature to identify systematic reviews and comparative clinical studies of conventional heart valves and studies of PHVs in adults. We define PHV replacement as the delivery of a prosthetic heart valve via a catheter inserted either through a vein or artery (femoral vein; femoral, subclavian, or axillary arteries; or the ascending aorta) or through the apex of the heart via an incision in the chest wall (transapical approach).

Results

We identified numerous mechanical and bioprosthetic heart valves. Six systematic reviews compared various conventional valves; the single high-quality review found better short-term hemodynamic performance but longer operating times with stentless compared to stented bioprosthetic valves. A large primary literature (57 randomized controlled trials [RCTs], 40 observational studies) compares various conventional heart valves.

Seven manufacturers of PHVs were identified in 62 fully published case reports or non-comparative case series that studied 856 unique patients. All but 19 of these patients received valves produced by one of two PHV manufacturers. The route of access was via the femoral artery in 580 patients (68 percent). The transapical approach was used in 223 patients (26 percent). The route of access for the remaining 53 patients (6 percent) was via the femoral vein, subclavian artery, axillary artery, or ascending aorta. All but two of the prosthetic valves were implanted in the aortic valve position in patients with symptomatic aortic stenosis at high operative risk. Successful implantation was achieved in 92 percent of patients; 30-day survival was 86 percent. The lack of comparative studies limits the ability to determine which variables associated with PHV replacement are causally related to outcomes. A multicenter RCT comparing PHV to conventional heart valve replacement or medical management is currently underway in the United States.

Conclusions

A large number of heart valve prostheses are in use, but there are limited data to inform the selection of one valve over another. There is sufficient existing primary literature to support systematic reviews or meta-analyses to help inform several important clinical questions pertaining to conventional heart valve replacement. PHV replacement is a rapidly emerging technology that has been proven feasible and is a promising therapeutic option for patients with severe, symptomatic aortic stenosis who have a higher risk of poor outcome with surgical aortic valve replacement. Well-designed observational studies and decision modeling could help inform clinical and health policy in the absence of RCTs.

Journal Publications

Coeytaux RR, Williams JW Jr, Gray RN, et al. Narrative review: percutaneous heart valve replacement for aortic stenosis: state of the evidence. Ann Intern Med 2010 August 2. [Epub ahead of print]

Page last reviewed December 2019
Page originally created November 2017

Internet Citation: Technical Brief: Percutaneous Heart Valve Replacement. Content last reviewed December 2019. Effective Health Care Program, Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, Rockville, MD.
https://effectivehealthcare.ahrq.gov/products/percutaneous-heart-valves/technical-brief

Select to copy citation