Percutaneous Thrombovegectomy as an Alternative to Surgery for Tricuspid Valve Endocarditis

Abstract

Background: Undergoing an urgent valve surgical procedure to treat patients with tricuspid valve endocarditis carries a high risk of operative morbidity and mortality. Use of a percutaneous vacuum-assisted system to treat tricuspid valve endocarditis is an alternative to surgical procedures.

Methods: This study retrospectively analyzed data from 187 transcatheter vacuum-assisted aspiration procedures performed in 177 patients with tricuspid valve vegetations at 3 different centers between 2017 and April 2022. The device was deployed through the internal jugular or femoral vein into the right atrium by using transesophageal echocardiography and fluoroscopy guidance with the return cannula placed in the femoral vein. The following data were analyzed: intravascular material aspirated, collected in an external filter, and cultured; hospital length of stay; procedural complications; blood culture clearance; and tricuspid regurgitation.

Results: The mean age of participants was 35.5 ± 10.8 years (range, 18-79 years). A total of 107 procedures (57.2%) were performed in female patients, and 163 (87.2%) procedures were performed in intravenous drug users. All patients survived the procedure, and there were no procedural complications. The average length of stay was 26.8 ± 18.5 days (range, 1-96 days). Most preoperative positive blood cultures showed <i>Staphylococcus aureus</i> (80.3%), with postoperative cultures converting to negative in 103 (70.1%) of 147 procedures. Tricuspid regurgitation remained unchanged after 95 (50.8%) procedures and worsened after 40 (21.4%) procedures.

Conclusions: Percutaneous vacuum-assisted aspiration system provides a safe alternative to urgent tricuspid valve surgical procedures for removal of vegetations, especially in patients with endocarditis. Initial vegetation debulking can expedite clearance of blood cultures while avoiding major cardiac surgery operations and implantation of prosthetic valves in these high-risk patients.