Automated titanium fastener for surgical aortic valve replacement—preventive role for infective endocarditis?

OBJECTIVES: Evidence on long-term clinical outcomes considering suture-securing techniques used for surgical aortic valve replacement is still uncertain. METHODS: A total of 1405 patients who underwent surgical aortic valve replacement between January 2016 and December 2022 were included and grouped according to the suture-securing technique used (automated titanium fastener versus hand-tied knots). The occurrence of infective endocarditis during follow-up was set as the primary study end-point. As secondary study end-points, stroke, all-cause mortality and a composite outcome of either infective endocarditis, stroke, or all-cause mortality were assessed. RESULTS: The automated titanium fastener was used in 829 (59%) patients, whereas the hand-knot tying technique was used in 576 (41%) patients. The multivariable proportional competing risk regression analysis showed a significantly lower risk of infective endocarditis during follow-up in the automated titanium fastener group (adjusted sub-hazard ratio 0.44, 95% confidence interval 0.20–0.94, P ¼ 0.035). The automated titanium fastener group was not associated with an increased risk of mortality or attaining the composite outcome, respectively (adjusted hazard ratio 0.81, 95% confidence interval 0.60–1.09, P ¼ 0.169; adjusted hazard ratio 0.82, 95% confidence interval 0.63–1.07, P ¼ 0.152). This group was not associated with an increased risk of stroke (adjusted sub-hazard ratio 0.82, 95% confidence interval 0.47–1.45, P ¼ 0.504). Also, a significantly lower rate of early-onset infective endocarditis was observed in the automated titanium fastener group, (0.4% vs 1.4%, P ¼ 0.032). CONCLUSIONS: Suture-securing with an automated titanium fastener device appears to be superior compared to the hand-knot tying technique in terms of lower risk of infective endocarditis.