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.

Adam Greenbaum, MD, Emory, explains the CLASP TR trial of the Pascal clip device for transcatheter repair, which was a late-breaking ACC22 study.

VIDEO: Pascal effective in transcatheter repair of tricuspid valve regurgitation

Adam Greenbaum, MD, co-director of the Structural Heart and Valve Center at Emory University Hospital Midtown in Atlanta, explains details from the late-breaking CLASP TR trial at ACC.22.

Several ACC 2022 late-breaking trials may have impacts on clinical practice for interventional cardiology and structural heart. One trial compared FFR vs. IVUS guided PCI for intermediate coronary lesions. Photos by Dave Fornell

Key interventional cardiology takeaways from ACC.22

Several late-breaking clinical trials at ACC.22 will likely impact clinical practice. Below are summaries of a few key trials and their takeaways for interventional cardiology and structural heart interventions. 

MitraClip vs mitral valve edge to edge repair (TEER).

VIDEO: MitraClip vs. surgical mitral valve replacement

Joanna Chikwe, MD, founding chair of the department of cardiac surgery at Cedars-Sinai Hospital, compares transcatheter edge-to-edge repair (TEER) to mitral valve surgery for primary mitral regurgitation.

TAVR vs. surgery, FFR-guided PCI and DCB safety: Day 3 at ACC.22

Read our in-person coverage of the final day of ACC.22.

Older LAAO patients, especially women, face a higher risk of complications

Researchers explored data from the National Inpatient Sample, sharing their findings in the American Journal of Cardiology.

Same-day discharge after TAVR is feasible and safe, new Cleveland Clinic study confirms

Cleveland Clinic turned to same-day discharge after TAVR during the COVID-19 pandemic, finding considerable success. 

Interventional cardiology procedure in a cath lab at Beaumont Hospital.

PCI boosts survival for ischemic HF patients with moderate-to-severe mitral regurgitation

Mortality rates can be especially high for ischemic HF patients presenting with FMR and LVSD, but PCI may offer some relief. 

 Oleksandr Yachnik, congenital heart surgeon at the Scientific Practical Children's Cardiac Center in Kyiv, Ukraine, performs a congential heart procedure while the Russians and the front lines are less than 10 miles away. #StandwithUkraine #Ukraine #RussianWarWithUkraine

War in Ukraine has not stopped congenital heart surgeries in Kyiv

"We are staying strong," one surgeon told Cardiovascular Business.