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.

ACC.23 Together with the World Congress of Cardiology

Day 1 at ACC.23 features late-breaking studies on bempedoic acid, tricuspid valve repair and statins

The conference kicked off with three late-breaking studies that could have a huge impact on patient care going forward. 

A transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) procedure being performed at Intermountain Healthcare. Image from Intermountain Healthcare

10 reasons heart teams may consider SAVR over TAVR when treating aortic stenosis

As much as TAVR's popularity has grown in recent years, there are still many instances when a heart team may find that surgery offers the best path forward. 

Medtronic, Abbott share late-breaking TAVR data at CRT 2023

Both vendors used the four-day conference as an opportunity to provide key updates about their TAVR valves.

Abbott and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) are warning healthcare providers about the potential risk of early structural valve deterioration (SVD) with Abbott’s line of Trifecta bioprosthetic heart valves. This includes the original Trifecta valve and the Trifecta GT, which are both designed to treat disease, damaged or malfunctioning aortic heart valves.

FDA warns that early deterioration is possible with Abbott’s Trifecta heart valves

Early SVD has been reported in these devices, particularly three to four years after implantation. According to the FDA, this has resulted in surgical replacement procedures and transcatheter valve-in-valve interventions. In some cases, the patient died.

ElectroDucer Sleeve PCI TAVR EuroIntervention

New direct wire pacing device shows potential during PCI and TAVR, first-in-human study finds

Early evidence suggests the Electroducer Sleeve is safe and effective among patients presenting for certain interventional procedures. 

Harmony transcatheter pulmonary valve

Medtronic relaunches Harmony TPV system after 2022 recall

The device, which gained FDA approval in 2021, was part of a voluntary recall in 2022 due to stability concerns. Medtronic worked with the FDA to address the issue, and the Harmony TPV is once again available throughout the United States. 

New patient-specific heart models could change how cardiologists make treatment decisions

The 3D-printed models are soft, flexible and can mimic the way a patient's heart may respond to different interventions. 

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How CAD, PCI affect TAVR outcomes among men and women

According to new research published in the American Journal of Cardiology, complex CAD appears to affect long-term TAVR outcomes much more for women than it does for men.