Outcome of Stent Graft Implantation for Treatment of Access Site Bleeding After Transfemoral Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement

Vascular complications are common after transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) and are associated with increased morbidity and mortality. Stent graft implantation enables percutaneous treatment of access site bleeding; however, the efficacy and durability and of this approach are unknown. We studied the immediate outcome of stent graft implantation for control of access site bleeding and the need for repeat vascular interventions after stenting, in a cohort of consecutive patients with severe symptomatic aortic stenosis who underwent transfemoral TAVR. Predictors of access site complications requiring percutaneous or surgical vascular repair were identified. Transfemoral TAVR was performed in 194 patients. Access site complications requiring urgent vascular repair occurred in 34 patients (18%). Stent graft implantation was performed in 31 patients and vascular surgery in 3 patients. When patients who required surgical or percutaneous vascular repair were compared with those who did not, increased body mass index (30 ± 6 vs 28 ± 5, p = 0.035) and reduced activated clotting time (233 ± 47 vs 252 ± 47, p = 0.030) were the only predictors of need for vascular repair. Stenting achieved adequate hemostasis in all patients with a single minor vascular complication. During median follow-up of 797 days (interquartile range 585 to 1,173), no clinically significant vascular complications were detected after stenting. In conclusion, control of bleeding was achieved in all patients who underwent stent graft implantation for treatment of access site vascular complications after transfemoral TAVR. None of these patients needed further vascular interventions during follow-up.