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.

3D software helps cardiologists plan ahead for TAVR complications
Serious complications are rare after TAVR, but they can be catastrophic or fatal when they do occur. The care team at Sentara Heart Hospital found that bringing in new 3D software made it much easier to plan ahead for such issues.
FDA clears AI-powered platform that personalizes care during TAVR, cardiac pacing procedures
The newly cleared CARA System from Cara Medical was designed to help clinicians before and during a variety of cardiac procedures. It provides a personalized 3D map of the patient's cardiac conduction system and then overlays that map onto live fluoroscopic images.
PFO closure after thromboembolism linked to strong 20-year outcomes
Recurrent strokes and TIAs were rare, though bleeding events among women did stand out as a trend to watch going forward.
TAVR a safe treatment option for patients who have undergone chest radiation therapy
In fact, researchers wrote, TAVR and SAVR were linked to comparable long-term outcomes for heart patients who have previously been exposed to mediastinal radiation.
Registry data point to ‘striking shift’ in treatment decisions after FDA approved low-risk TAVR
Many experts still recommend SAVR over TAVR for patients younger than 65 years old with severe aortic stenosis. However, transcatheter treatments are growing more and more popular when these younger patients require a valve replacement.

TriClip triumphs: Tricuspid edge-to-edge repair linked to strong 30-day outcomes in real-world setting

The new study, published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology, focused on more than 500 patients treated with Abbott’s TriClip device in Europe.

doctor with overweight patient who may be treated with TAVR or surgery

TAVR vs. surgery among obese patients: What cardiologists need to know

Researchers tracked data from nearly 38,000 obese patients who underwent TAVR or SAVR, sharing their findings in a new meta-analysis.

Tracking patient outcomes after valve-in-valve TAVR, redo SAVR

It is becoming more and more important, researchers noted, to examine the lifetime management of patients who undergo aortic valve replacement.

PHOTO GALLERY: The trends and technologies at ASE 2023

Browse through some of the many highlights from the American Society of Echocardiography's 2023 annual meeting.

Interventional cardiologists, electrophysiologists ask CMS to clarify policy after unexpected denials

Three cardiology societies have reached out to CMS with questions about how MACs are interpreting a policy related to shared decision-making.

Balloon expansion deployment of an Edwards Lifesciences Sapien 3 transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) device.

TAVR vs. surgery: Exploring 5-year outcomes among intermediate-risk patients

A group of renowned TAVR specialists examined data from 783 pairs of intermediate-risk patients, sharing their findings in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.

No contrast transcatheter aortic valve replacement

New ‘zero-contrast’ TAVR technique shows promise in pilot study

Researchers think this new technique could be beneficial for patients presenting with both severe symptomatic aortic stenosis and chronic kidney disease.

MASA Valve PECA Labs polymeric pulmonary valve Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia

New polymeric heart valve, designed to grow with pediatric patients, implanted for first time

The new-look pulmonary valve features a proprietary bi-leaflet design and was designed to grow with the patient, limiting the need for repeat surgeries.

Structural Heart Disease

3D software helps cardiologists plan ahead for TAVR complications

FDA clears AI-powered platform that personalizes care during TAVR, cardiac pacing procedures

PFO closure after thromboembolism linked to strong 20-year outcomes

TAVR a safe treatment option for patients who have undergone chest radiation therapy

Registry data point to ‘striking shift’ in treatment decisions after FDA approved low-risk TAVR