Transcatheter pulmonary valve implantation has emerged as a minimally invasive and preferred therapeutic option for patients with dysfunction of previously repaired right ventricular outflow tracts. The Myval™ Octacor valve is a new device designed for this purpose, though limited reports exist regarding its use in the pulmonary position.

To report the immediate and short-term outcomes of percutaneous pulmonary valve implantation using the Myval™ Octacor valve in patients with severe right ventricular–pulmonary artery conduit or pulmonary valve bioprosthesis dysfunction.

This was a single-centre retrospective review of data obtained from case files.

The Myval™ Octacor valve was used in ten patients with a mean age of 34.5 ± 7.4 years. The median procedure duration and fluoroscopy time were 146 minutes and 30.5 minutes, respectively. The median Z-score for valves used was −0.5. The median right ventricular systolic pressure decreased from 68.5 mmHg pre-procedure to 33 mmHg post-procedure. The median peak instantaneous gradient across the right ventricular outflow tract or conduit decreased from 30 mmHg to 6.5 mmHg. There were no reported incidences of frame fracture, conduit rupture, device embolisation, or endocarditis.

This is the first UK experience of using the new-generation Myval™ Octacor valve in percutaneous pulmonary valve implantation. The results demonstrate the valve’s safety and clinical efficacy, with favourable outcomes in terms of procedural success, haemodynamic improvement, and echocardiographic findings.

There are limited studies with medium-term follow-up following percutaneous pulmonary valve implantation and no studies with a gender-specific analysis.

To report clinical outcomes up to five years following percutaneous pulmonary valve implantation using the two most common balloon expandable valves in a mixed population of paediatric and adult patients with an age and gender-specific analysis.

This was a single-centre retrospective observation study. Relevant data were obtained retrospectively from the case files. Age and gender- specific analysis was performed using SPSS.

Totally, 58 patients (13 children, 45 adults) underwent percutaneous pulmonary valve implantation. Statistically significant reduction in median right ventricular outflow tract flow velocity following valve implantation was maintained for the whole five years in adults but not in children. There were no gender-specific differences despite the study being adequately powered. Independent of valve type used, there was significant reduction of the right ventricular outflow tract flow velocity in the immediate post valve implantation period (Edwards P = 0.001, Melody P = 0.013). There was a significant negative correlation between implanted valve Z-score and subsequent right ventricular outflow tract gradient during the first two years following valve implantation.

Gender does not significantly affect valve function following percutaneous pulmonary valve implantation. It is important to consider patients’ age and body surface area in relation to existing right ventricular outflow tract size during decisions for percutaneous pulmonary valve implantation.

Although the right jugular vein approach for percutaneous pulmonary valve implantation is well described, there are no reports that describe a percutaneous pulmonary valve implantation through a left superior caval vein to coronary sinus pathway.

A 14-year-old female with tetralogy of Fallot, mesocardia, left superior caval vein draining into the coronary sinus, and hemiazygos continuation of the inferior caval vein underwent ventricular septal defect closure, with homograft insertion from the right ventricle to the pulmonary artery, patch augmentation of the left pulmonary artery, and creation of an atrial communication. Thereafter followed numerous catheterisations and interventions with stent implantation for stenosis of the left pulmonary artery and the homograft, as did device closure of the atrial communication. When she was a 12-year-old, the indications for a percutaneous pulmonary valve implantation were fulfilled and she underwent implantation of a 22 mm Melody® valve through the left superior caval vein. The extra-stiff exchange wire was pre-formed into a “U-spiral”-type configuration, according to the underlying anatomy, in order to provide a smooth route for the delivery of stents, to create the landing zone, and for the implantation of the Melody “ensemble”. The procedure was performed under deep sedation according to our standard protocol. The duration of the procedure was 172 min and the radiation time was 24.9 min.

On the basis of this unique experience, percutaneous pulmonary valve implantation is safe and feasible even in patients with unusual anatomy. Crucial is the “U-spiral” shaped configuration of the guide wire.