Abdominal aorta tortuosity on computed tomography identifies patients at risk of complications during transfemoral transcatheter aortic valve replacement

Transcatheter aortic valve replacement is now indicated in patients at intermediate surgical risk and will probably soon be indicated in patients at low surgical risk, for whom the occurrence of serious procedural complications is not acceptable. We aimed to investigate whether simple arterial variables from computed tomography scanning can predict the occurrence of severe early complications in patients undergoing transfemoral TAVR. All patients with symptomatic severe aortic stenosis treated by transfemoral transcatheter aortic valve replacement in our centre, and for whom computed tomography images were available, were included. An exhaustive analysis of preprocedural computed tomography scans was performed retrospectively, in search of arterial tortuosity and vascular calcifications. The primary endpoint was a composite 30-day safety endpoint. Overall, 175 patients were included. The primary endpoint was observed in 60 patients (35%). Abdominal aorta tortuosity was identified in 28 patients (16%) and was strongly associated with the occurrence of a complication (adjusted odds ratio 2.7, 95% confidence interval 1.1–6.6; P=0.03). There was no significant association between iliofemoral tortuosity or vascular calcification and the occurrence of complications. A tortuous abdominal aorta was found to be a predictor of the occurrence of a complication in patients undergoing transfemoral transcatheter aortic valve replacement. This computed tomography variable should therefore be taken into account when choosing the approach, especially for patients at intermediate and low surgical risk. Le remplacement valvulaire aortique par voie percutanée (TAVI) est désormais indiqué pour les patients ayant un risque chirurgical intermédiaire, et probablement bientôt pour les patients à bas risque. La survenue d’une complication procédurale grave n’est pas acceptable pour ces populations. Nous avons étudié si l’identification de variables artérielles simples au scanner permettait de prédire la survenue d’une complication précoce chez les patients bénéficiant d’un TAVI par voie transfémorale. Tous les patients porteurs d’un rétrécissement aortique serré symptomatique bénéficiant d’un TAVI par voie transfémorale dans notre centre et pour qui les images du scanner étaient disponibles ont été inclus. Une analyse exhaustive du scanner préprocédurale était rétrospectivement effectuée, à la recherche de tortuosités artérielles et de calcifications vasculaires. Le critère de juge