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.

A team in China treated 10 patients—split evenly between men and women—with the SinoCrown TAVR valve developed by Lepu Medical Technology Company. The average patient age was 77.5 years old.

New self-expanding TAVR valve shows promise

It is still early for this new-look TAVR valve, but initial findings out of China include a procedural success rate of 100% and no deaths, disabling strokes or myocardial infarctions after 30 days. Read a full analysis from the team using the device. 

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An updated look at surgically repairing the mitral valve due to mitral regurgitation

A team of cardiologists and cardiac surgeons collaborated on the new analysis, reviewing data from more than 50,000 patients and developing a new risk model for clinicians.  

Abbott has gained U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval for its Navitor transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) system, the company’s new self-expanding valve for high-risk patients with severe symptomatic aortic stenosis.

Abbott receives FDA approval for new self-expanding TAVR system

The device, which gained CE mark approval in Europe in May 2021, features a new-look fabric cuff designed to keep the risk of paravalvular leak (PVL) at a minimum.

How intravascular lithotripsy can improve TMVR outcomes

The IVL technology developed by Shockwave Medical helped clinicians treat a TMVR patient who had previously undergone TAVR. Could this be a common use of IVL in the future?

Samir Kapadia, MD, Cleveland Clinic TAVR transcatheter aortic valve replacement

Q&A: Discussing TAVR trends with cardiologist Samir Kapadia of Cleveland Clinic

What's next for TAVR? What trends should clinicians be focused on as time goes on? Kapadia shared his perspective in a new interview. 

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Why cardiologists should pay close attention to rehospitalizations after TAVR or SAVR

A new analysis in Circulation: Cardiovascular Interventions examined rehospitalization rates after AVR, noting that they are consistently associated with worse outcomes and a higher risk of patient mortality.

An example of virtual pulmonary valve implant planning software showing a virtual transcatheter pulmonary valve with measurements implnated in the virtual anatomy of a congenital heart patient. This was part of a training class at the Society of Cardiovascular Computed Tomography (SCCT) 2022 meeting.

FDA makes clearance easier for cardiac device implant simulation software

The FDA is reclassifying interventional cardiovascular implant simulation software into the class II (special controls) regulatory category, which will make it easier for the technology to pass regulatory approval. 

The Medtronic CoreValve Evolut and the Edwards Lifesciences Sapien 3 TAVR valves.

VIDEO: The importance of assessing TAVR valve durability

Brian Lindman, MD, discusses the tracking of TAVR devices for signs of deterioration and how to assess long-term durability.