Abstract
ObjectivesTransfemoral transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TF-TAVI) is an established therapy for patients with symptomatic aortic stenosis, which requires periprocedural anaesthesia care. In 2015, the German Federal Joint Committee released a directive on minimally invasive heart valve interventions which defines institutional infrastructural requirements in German heart centres. But still generally accepted expert consensus recommendations or national or international guidelines regarding periprocedural anaesthesia management for TF-TAVI are lacking. This nationwide cross-sectional study had two major objectives: first to assess the concordance with existing national regulations regarding infrastructural requirements and second to evaluate the status quo of periprocedural anaesthesia management for patients undergoing TF-TAVI in German heart centres.DesignMulticentre cross-sectional online study to evaluate the periprocedural anaesthesia management.SettingIn this nationwide cross-sectional study, electronic questionnaires were sent out to anaesthesia departments at TF-TAVI-performing centres in Germany in March 2019.Participants78 anaesthesia departments of German heart centres.Results54 (69.2%) centres returned the questionnaire of which 94.4% stated to hold regular Heart Team meetings, 75.9% to have ready-to-use heart-lung machines available on-site, 77.8% to have cardiac surgeons and 66.7% to have perfusionists routinely attending throughout TF-TAVI procedures. Regarding periprocedural anaesthesia management, 41 (75.9%) of the participating centres reported to predominantly use ‘monitored anaesthesia care’ and 13 (24.1%) to favour general anaesthesia. 49 (90.7%) centres stated to use institutional standard operating procedures for anaesthesia. Five-lead ECG, central venous lines, capnometry and intraprocedural echocardiography were reported to be routine measures in 85.2%, 83.3%, 77.8% and 51.9% of the surveyed heart centres.ConclusionsThe concordance with national regulations, anaesthesia management and in-house standards for TF-TAVI vary broadly among German heart centres. According to the opinion of the authors, international expert consensus recommendations and/or guidelines would be helpful to standardise peri interventional anaesthesia care.
Reference26 articles.
1. A prospective survey of patients with valvular heart disease in Europe: The Euro Heart Survey on Valvular Heart Disease
2. Burden of valvular heart diseases: a population-based study
3. 2017 ESC/EACTS Guidelines for the management of valvular heart disease
4. IIQTIG - Institute for quality assurance and transparency in health care . Quality report 2019: isolated coronary bypass surgery; isolated aortic valve surgery; combined coronary bypass and aortic valve surgery, 2019. Available: https://iqtig.org/downloads/berichte/2018/IQTIG_Qualitaetsreport-2019_2019-09-25.pdf
5. Directive of the German Federal Joint Committee (G-BA) regarding measures for quality assurance for the implementation of minimally invasive heart valve interventions 2015.