Key result
TMVR shows potential for inoperable severe MAC but requires further technological and imaging refinement.
Why the study?
Degenerative mitral stenosis secondary to extensive mitral annular calcification poses high surgical risk, and current evidence for TMVR is limited to single-arm observational registries without standardized imaging protocols.
TMVR is a promising alternative for inoperable patients with severe MAC, but routine clinical adoption requires further refinement of dedicated technologies and standardized imaging protocols.
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TMVR for severe MAC should not yet change practice; leaves open refinement of dedicated technologies and standardized imaging protocols.
Degenerative mitral stenosis (MS) secondary to extensive mitral annular calcification (MAC) represents a growing clinical challenge in an aging population. These patients are often elderly, frail, and harbor a significant burden of comorbidities, rendering conventional mitral valve surgery prohibitively high-risk. While transcatheter mitral valve replacement (TMVR) has emerged as a potential alternative, the current evidence is only derived from single-arm observational registries. Therefore, the transition toward randomized controlled trials to define optimal patient selection and long-term prosthetic durability is necessary. This review examines the current landscape of TMVR for degenerative MS, focusing on the role of multimodal pre-procedural planning, procedural technique, and prevention of the principal complications. The integration of echocardiography and multi-slice computed tomography (MSCT) is essential for evaluating anatomical feasibility, particularly in predicting neo left ventricle outflow tract (neo-LVOT) obstruction, the primary determinant of procedural mortality. However, it is limited due to the absence of standardized protocol. We are showing the outcomes of off-label balloon-expandable aortic prostheses and dedicated TMVR system, which are the only two devices which data in patients with MS are available. Despite high technical success rates in specialized centers, complications, including paravalvular leak, valve thrombosis, and device migration, remain more prevalent than in aortic interventions. We present some tips and tricks to prevent and manage adverse events. TMVR represents a transformative frontier for inoperable patients with severe MAC. However, its routine clinical adoption requires further refinement of dedicated technologies and standardized imaging protocols to improve safety and bridge the gap between palliative medical therapy and definitive intervention.
Comis et al. (2026) conducted a review in Degenerative mitral stenosis secondary to extensive mitral annular calcification. Transcatheter mitral valve replacement (TMVR) was evaluated. Transcatheter mitral valve replacement is a potential alternative for inoperable patients with severe mitral annular calcification, but requires further refinement of technologies and imaging protocols.
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