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.

World’s most populous country gains access to Medtronic’s newest TAVR valve
Medtronic developed the self-expanding Evolut FX+ TAVR system with improved coronary access in mind. The FDA-approved device has now officially launched in India.
New registry helps hospitals expand outpatient services for heart patients
The initiation of the ACC Ambulatory Surgical Center Registry comes at a time when hospitals are expanding their structural heart programs. The registry is providing valuable details about which patients should stay at the hospital and which can be treated in an outpatient setting.
TAVR still a safe option for patients with nickel allergies
More research is still needed, as this study only included data from a small number of patients, but TAVR was not linked to any severe adverse events or allergic reactions.
Why patient selection is so important when performing M-TEER
As mitral transcatheter edge-to-edge repair continues to gain momentum in the United States, a new study of CMS data examines what happens to patient outcomes when the procedure fails.
Advances in electrosurgical techniques have helped thousands of transcatheter valve patients
Toby Rogers, MD, associate professor of medicine at Georgetown University and an interventional cardiologist at MedStar, explains how electrosurgical procedures for transcaval access have helped large numbers of patients receive transcatheter heart valves who otherwise would have been disqualified due to anatomical issues.

Edwards Lifesciences loses TAVR leader to robotics firm, announces replacement

The change comes at a momentous time for the company's TAVR portfolio, which made history in May by receiving the very first FDA approval for treating asymptomatic severe AS.

cardiologist Jason H. Rogers, MD, a professor at UC Davis Medical Center in Sacramento, California

Q&A: What Medicare covering TriClip means for heart patients with leaky tricuspid valves

The tricuspid valve has been at the center of several key policy shifts in recent years. In fact, Medicare now covers both T-TEER and TTVR when performed with FDA-approved devices. We spoke to interventional cardiologist Jason H. Rogers, MD, to learn more about how this momentum has impacted patient care.

How pairing SAVR with additional heart surgeries affects mortality risk

When older patients undergo SAVR with concomitant procedures, it increases their short- and long-term risks of mortality. Should this influence care teams to consider more transcatheter treatments?

Toby Rogers, MD, Medstar, discusses a new dedicated device for BASILICA used in TAVR.

New device could make it easier than ever for cardiologists to perform BASILICA before TAVR

Toby Rogers, MD, PhD, noted that BASILICA is a fairly complex procedure. Using this advanced technology, however, could make it easier to perform and improve patient access.

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Stroke risk after TAVR still much higher for female patients

Women are associated with a significantly higher rate of in-hospital disabling strokes than men, according to a new study of nearly 380,000 TAVR patients. What can cardiologists do to help limit these complications?

First patient treated with BASILICA before valve-in-valve TAVR in a mechanically-expanded valve

A heart team chose to perform BASILICA before valve-in-valve TAVR in a failed Lotus device to help minimize the risk of complications. These scenarios will likely grow more and more common as patients outlive their TAVR valves.

FDA clears AI-powered software for real-time TAVR guidance

Caranx Medical is focused on using AI, robotics and other advanced technologies to expand patient access to life-saving procedures. This new software, for example, helps guide cardiologists through complex TAVR procedures.

The balloon-expandable Myval transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) valve is associated with positive real-world data after four years.

Myval TAVR valve associated with positive durability data after 4 years

Researchers have been spending more and more time evaluating the Myval TAVR valve from Indian medtech company Meril Life Sciences. The balloon-expandable device is available in some parts of the world, but not the United States.

Structural Heart Disease

World’s most populous country gains access to Medtronic’s newest TAVR valve

New registry helps hospitals expand outpatient services for heart patients

TAVR still a safe option for patients with nickel allergies

Why patient selection is so important when performing M-TEER

Advances in electrosurgical techniques have helped thousands of transcatheter valve patients