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.

CMS proposes Medicare coverage for transcatheter tricuspid valve replacement
Edwards Lifesciences sent a formal request to CMS in February after its Evoque TTVR device gained FDA approval. The agency is now accepting public comments for 30 days.
Hydra TAVR valve gains key approval as global reach continues to grow
The self-expanding device is now available in more than 20 countries and received CE mark approval back in 2020. However, it has not yet been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for use in the United States.
SAVR outperforms TAVR in patients with bicuspid aortic valves
BAV patients are often excluded from TAVR trials, creating uncertainty about the best way to treat that population when aortic valve replacement is required. To learn more, researchers tracked CMS data from 2018 to 2022, presenting their findings in The Annals of Thoracic Surgery.
Treating AFib patients with TAVR still linked to elevated risks
While the technology and techniques associated with TAVR have advanced over the years, treating patients who present with baseline atrial fibrillation is still associated with certain risks.
Heart surgeons detail world’s first robotic heart procedure of its kind
The care team behind the very first robotic aortic valve replacement and coronary artery bypass surgery has written about the experience in The Annals of Thoracic Surgery. The group discussed the development of the technique, how the patient was chosen for treatment and other key details.

A TAVR procedure being performed at Northwestern Medicine in Chicago. These structural heart procedures require a team approach.

Heart damage after TAVR: Follow-up imaging helps cardiologists anticipate problems

While cardiac damage reverses in many patients following treatment, it can actually continue to get worse in others.

June 19, 2023

TricValve Transcatheter Bicaval Valves System and HeartMate II LVAD

Cardiologists shed new light on treating severe tricuspid regurgitation in high-risk heart failure patients

The 80-year-old patient was experiencing severe TR and already had a HeartMate II LVAD.

June 15, 2023

Mitral valve repair: How a minimally invasive approach compares to conventional surgery

Researchers compared minithoracotomy, a minimally invasive procedure for treating degenerative mitral regurgitation, with conventional surgery, sharing their findings in JAMA. The research was previously presented as a late-breaking study at ACC.23.

June 14, 2023

Rethinking SAVR in the TAVR era: New Cleveland Clinic study explores data from nearly 3,500 patients

SAVR may be even safer for low-risk patients than previously believed, according to new research published in the Journal of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery. What does this tell us about patient care going forward?

June 13, 2023