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.

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Statue of Liberty New York City healthcare

Late-breaking clinical trials announced for New York Valves 2025

The three-day event is now in its second year. Each day will feature late-breaking clinical trials focused on a different heart valve.

Next-day discharge after TAVR is still safe when alternative access is required

Even TAVR patients not treated using transfemoral access can typically go home the very next day. 

Hemal Gada, MD, cardiologist

Q&A: Cardiologist and EARLY TAVR co-author questions study’s execution

The EARLY TAVR clinical trial made a significant impact, paving the way for the FDA to approve multiple transcatheter heart valves for the treatment of asymptomatic patients. However, one cardiologist who participated in the trial has some serious concerns with how its findings were presented to the public. 

cardiologists heart doctors heart research heart data

Balloon-expandable, self-expanding TAVR valves associated with comparable long-term outcomes

Patients treated with the Sapien 3 platform from Edwards Lifesciences and the Evolut platform from Medtronic were linked to more similarities than differences after six years. This was a single-center study, researchers noted, but it does provide an in-depth look at the safety and effectiveness of TAVR.

Foldax Tria mitral valve

‘A compelling alternative’: Polymer heart valve receives first commercial approval of its kind

A new surgical mitral valve from Foldax will now be commercially available in India. The valve is built using LifePolymer, a proprietary material that does not include animal tissue.

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]

TAVR specialists come together to explore new data, patient selection and much more

Care teams have a lot to consider when choosing the right treatment for patients with severe aortic stenosis. Two cardiologists and a veteran cardiothoracic surgeon are taking part in a new webinar focused on that very topic. 

Vinay Badhwar, MD, and his team perform a robotic TAVR explant and aortic valve replacement. Image courtesy of WVU Medicine.

Heart surgeons perform world’s first robotic TAVR explant and aortic valve replacement

The patient, 67, presented with a failing TAVR valve and a leaky mitral valve. She had undergone TAVR four years prior, but premature structural valve degeneration made a full replacement necessary. Surgeons ultimately removed the TAVR valve in addition to replacing her aortic and mitral valves—all with the help of advanced robotics.

cardiologist viewing heart data

Real-world data favor SAVR over TAVR when younger patients need aortic valve replacement

Researchers in Italy tracked data from more than 7,000 patients who underwent AVR between the ages of 65 and 80. TAVR was associated with a significantly higher long-term risk of mortality.

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