Outcomes of transfemoral transcatheter aortic valve implantation at hospitals with and without on-site cardiac surgery department: insights from the prospective German aortic valve replacement quality assurance registry (AQUA) in 17 919 patients

Aims Performing transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) at hospitals with only cardiology department but no cardiac surgery (CS) on-site is at great odds with current Guidelines. Methods and results We analysed data from the official, prospective German Quality Assurance Registry on Aortic Valve Replacement to compare characteristics and in-hospital outcomes of patients undergoing transfemoral TAVI at hospitals with (n = 75) and without CS departments (n = 22). An interdisciplinary Heart Team was established at all centres (internal staff physicians at hospitals with on-site CS; in-house cardiologists and visiting cardiac surgical teams from collaborating hospitals at non-CS hospitals). In 2013 and 2014, 17 919 patients (81.2 +/- 6.1 years, 55% females, German aortic valve (GAV) score 2.0 5.6 +/- 5.8%, logistic EuroSCORE I 21.1 +/- 15.4%) underwent transfemoral TAVI in Germany: 1332 (7.4%) at hospitals without on-site CS department. Patients in non-CS hospitals were older (82.1 +/- 5.8 vs. 81.1 +/- 6.1 years, P < 0.001), with more frequent co-morbidities. Predicted mortality risks per GAV-score 2.0 (6.1 +/- 5.5 vs. 5.5 +/- 5.9%, P < 0.001) and logEuroSCORE I (23.2 +/- 15.8 vs. 21.0 +/- 15.4%, P < 0.001) were higher in patients at non-CS sites. Complications including strokes (2.6 vs. 2.3%, P = 0.452) and in-hospital mortality (3.8 vs. 4.2%, P = 0.396),were similar in both groups. Matched-pair analysis of 555 patients in each group with identical GAV-score confirmed similar rates of intraprocedural complications (9.2 vs. 10.3% < P = 0.543) < strokes (3.2% for both groups, P = 1.00) < and in-hospital mortality (1.8 vs. 2.9% < P = 0.234). Conclusion Although patients undergoing TAVI at hospitals without on-site CS department were older and at higher predicted perioperative death risk, major complications, and in-hospital mortality were not statistically different, suggesting the feasibility and safety of Heart Team-based TAVI at non-CS sites. These findings need confirmation in future randomized study.