Patients presenting for TAVR or M-TEER with baseline moderate or severe tricuspid regurgitation were associated with lower post-treatment KCCQ scores and a higher mortality rate. Perhaps treating more of these patients with tricuspid valve repair or replacement could make a difference, researchers noted. 

A care team in Germany has completed what may be the first structural heart procedure of its kind on a high-risk patient. It started as a straightforward heterotopic caval valve implantation, but then paravalvular leak resulted in a change of plans. 

Identical Cardiovalve systems were used to perform the procedures 18 months apart on a high-risk heart patient. 

Businesses in the cardiovascular health space have been busy in recent weeks, announcing one big financing round after another. 

Each valve type has its own benefits, researchers noted, but mechanical valves are associated with multiple long-term benefits compared to tissue/bioprosthetic valves. 

This move represents a pivot of sorts for Edwards; instead of pursuing a spin-off of its critical care business, the company is now doubling down on its commitment to develop new structural heart technologies. BD, meanwhile, says the transaction will deliver significant value. 

New York Valves: The Structural Heart Summit replaces the Transcatheter Valve Therapy conference CRF hosted for many years. The three-day event will include 12 late-breaking clinical trials focused on TAVR and new treatments for the mitral and tricuspid valves. 

Researchers tracked data from more than 600 patients, noting that heart teams may want to reconsider how they classify residual TR after treatment.