Structural Heart Disease

Structural heart diseases include any issues preventing normal cardiovascular function due to damage or alteration to the anatomical components of the heart. This is caused by aging, advanced atherosclerosis, calcification, tissue degeneration, congenital heart defects and heart failure. The most commonly treated areas are the heart valves, in particular the mitral and aortic valves. These can be replaced through open heart surgery or using cath lab-based transcatheter valves or repairs to eliminate regurgitation due to faulty valve leaflets. This includes transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR). Other common procedures include left atrial appendage (LAA) occlusion and closing congenital holes in the heart, such as PFO and ASD. A growing area includes transcatheter mitral repair or replacement and transcatheter tricuspid valve repair and replacement.

Moderate valve oversizing during TAVR boosts survival—too much may be less beneficial
Oversizing transcatheter heart valves can improve TAVR outcomes. There is still a reason to be cautious, however, especially when patients are receiving a balloon-expandable valve.
Cardiologists develop new AI screening tool for structural heart disease
Researchers have developed an advanced AI model capable of detecting signs of severe AS, mitral regurgitation and other complications in ECG results. For example, one 84-year-old patient who was hospitalized for a fractured femur ended up being scanned and treated with TAVR just days later.
World’s first polymeric TAVR valve impresses cardiologists—could improve durability, reduce costs
The new-look TAVR system was linked to multiple benefits after one year. The cardiologists evaluating this device belief it could significantly reduce the risk of long-term valve degeneration.
Heart failure biomarker identifies long-term risk in T-TEER patients
NT-proBNP measurements are often used to diagnose and manage heart failure. According to a new study of more than 2,000 patients, they can also provide value to cardiologists performing T-TEER.
Cardiologists perform first TAVR of its kind by anchoring valve to crushed stent
The patient, 78, presented with severe AR and no signs of calcification. She was considered a poor choice for surgery or traditional TAVR due to multiple risks. That is where the new-look ATLAS technique came in.

Newsweek ranked the 50 best heart hospitals in the world

Moderate valve oversizing during TAVR boosts survival—too much may be less beneficial

Oversizing transcatheter heart valves can improve TAVR outcomes. There is still a reason to be cautious, however, especially when patients are receiving a balloon-expandable valve.

Cardiologists develop new AI screening tool for structural heart disease

Researchers have developed an advanced AI model capable of detecting signs of severe AS, mitral regurgitation and other complications in ECG results. For example, one 84-year-old patient who was hospitalized for a fractured femur ended up being scanned and treated with TAVR just days later.

World’s first polymeric TAVR valve impresses cardiologists—could improve durability, reduce costs

The new-look TAVR system was linked to multiple benefits after one year. The cardiologists evaluating this device belief it could significantly reduce the risk of long-term valve degeneration.

Heart failure biomarker identifies long-term risk in T-TEER patients

NT-proBNP measurements are often used to diagnose and manage heart failure. According to a new study of more than 2,000 patients, they can also provide value to cardiologists performing T-TEER.

After traversing the aortic cusp with an electrified wire and balloon inflation, a stent is positioned inside the noncoronary cusp and deployed. Immediately after, a transcatheter aortic valve is expanded, and the stent is crushed on the left ventricular outflow tract wall and annulus, while anchored to the aortic valve leaflet.

Cardiologists perform first TAVR of its kind by anchoring valve to crushed stent

The patient, 78, presented with severe AR and no signs of calcification. She was considered a poor choice for surgery or traditional TAVR due to multiple risks. That is where the new-look ATLAS technique came in.

Matthew Summers, MD, FACC, program director for structural heart, Sentara Heart Hospital, Norfolk, Virginia, explains how his center used a new transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) 3D CT planning software to better identify patients who are at high risk of complications. The software also enables the heart team to test the best placement of various valves to create a procedure plan tailored for each patients unique anatomy.

3D software helps cardiologists plan ahead for TAVR complications

Serious complications are rare after TAVR, but they can be catastrophic or fatal when they do occur. The care team at Sentara Heart Hospital found that bringing in new 3D software made it much easier to plan ahead for such issues.

simulation of the conduction pathway relative to various cardiac structures.

FDA clears AI-powered platform that personalizes care during TAVR, cardiac pacing procedures

The newly cleared CARA System from Cara Medical was designed to help clinicians before and during a variety of cardiac procedures. It provides a personalized 3D map of the patient's cardiac conduction system and then overlays that map onto live fluoroscopic images.

A majority of medical devices involved in Class I recalls were never required by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to undergo premarket or postmarket clinical testing, according to new research published in Annals of Internal Medicine.[1]

PFO closure after thromboembolism linked to strong 20-year outcomes

Recurrent strokes and TIAs were rare, though bleeding events among women did stand out as a trend to watch going forward.