Valve unit instead of intensive care unit admission after transcatheter edge-to-edge tricuspid valve repair

Abstract Background Standardization of periprocedural pathways reduces the length of hospital stay and thus healthcare costs and increases patient safety. Post-procedure admission to the intensive care unit (ICU) after transcatheter edge-to-edge tricuspid valve repair (T-TEER) has been the standard of care. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic related decline in high-care hospital beds, our center established primary admission to a dedicated general cardiologic care ward, the valve unit (VU). Aim To assess benefits and risks of admission to the VU instead of ICU after T-TEER. Methods This retrospective observational study included 270 consecutive patients who underwent T-TEER between March 2017 and June 2023 at our university hospital. Patients were admitted to the ICU post-procedure up to April 9th 2020 as standard (ICU-group, n = 53). Subsequent patients were planned for admission to a dedicated VU (VU-group, n = 217). We compared the groups and assessed length of hospital stay and in-hospital complications. In the VU-group, we examined unplanned transfer to the ICU (cross-over) and its predictors. Results Monitoring at the VU included continuous telemetric ECG-recording, oxygen saturation assessment, periodical blood pressure measurements and 24-hours physician presence. In contrast to the ICU, only non-invasive blood pressure measurements, less frequent laboratory controls and less intense fluid monitoring took place. The postinterventional hospital stay of patients with planned VU admission was significantly shorter compared to patients with planned ICU admission (median 4 (interquartile range (IQR) 3 - 5) vs. 4 (IQR 4 - 5) days, p = 0.030). Remarkably, overall complication rates were low and cardiogenic shock, infections, bleeding, vascular complications, delirium and acute kidney injury requiring dialysis were similar in both groups. 37 patients that were planned for VU had to cross over to unplanned ICU admission (17.1 %). Patients that had crossed over to unplanned ICU treatment had significantly higher risk for acute kidney injury (20.0 vs. 10.0%, p = 0.039) and in-hospital mortality (5.6 vs. 0%, p = 0.045). Higher systolic pulmonary artery pressure (sPAP) (OR 1.048, 95 %-CI 1.015 – 1.082, p = 0.003), NYHA functional class >= III (OR 9.176, 95 % CI 1.141 – 74.396, p = 0.037), and pre-interventional tricuspid regurgitation (TR) grade V (OR 2.941, 95 % CI 1.089 – 7.970, p = 0.033) were found to independently predict cross-over to unplanned ICU treatment. Conclusion Postinterventional admission to the VU instead of ICU after T-TEER shortens postprocedural hospital stay. A small proportion of had an unplanned transfer to ICU, which was accompanied by slightly higher complication rates. This cross-over affects patients with more advanced disease indicated by high pulmonary pressures, NYHA class and TR grade. Thus, admission to a valve unit is favorable for most patients after T-TEER, but those with advanced disease should be monitored more closely.