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.

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Robotic mitral repair compares favorably to surgery—but some concerns remain

Robotic-assisted mitral valve repair is associated with short-term outcomes comparable to conventional surgery, according to a new analysis of more than 40,000 patients. Robotic treatment also helps patients spend less time in the hospital, but the costs are much higher.

Surgeons Operating On Patient

Radial secondary access during TAVR limits complications

Radial access is already the primary choice for many cardiologists performing PCI due to a lower risk of complications. The same appears to be true for secondary access during TAVR.

Transcatheter pulmonary valve replacement (TPVR) with Medtronic’s self-expanding Harmony valve is both safe and effective after more than a year, according to new real-world data published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.[1]

Medtronic’s Harmony TPVR system gains CE mark approval

The FDA-approved Harmony TPVR system is now available to patients across the EU. Nina Goodheart, president of Medtronic’s structural heart and aortic business, described the news as a "significant milestone."

Michael Reardon, MD, said monitoring under expansion would have made Acurate Neo2 non-inferior to current TAVR valves in the ACURATE IDE trial.

The primary reason Boston Scientific’s TAVR valve fell short in clinical trial

Michael Reardon, MD, co-principal investigator of the ACURATE IDE trial, discussed updated data on what may have impacted that study's findings.

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‘A victory for TAVR’: How treatment impacts elderly patients in their last year of life

New research out of Denmark explored how undergoing TAVR may or may not influence the final year of a patient's life.

Top videos on the Cardiovascular Business website about new cardiovascular trends and technologies in 2024.

Top cardiology video interviews in 2024

A list of the most popular video interviews on Cardiovascular Business in 2024 based on reader analytics.

Edwards Evoque transcatheter tricuspid valve replacement TTVR

CMS proposes Medicare coverage for transcatheter tricuspid valve replacement

Edwards Lifesciences sent a formal request to CMS in February after its Evoque TTVR device gained FDA approval. The agency is now accepting public comments for 30 days.

Sahajanand Medical Technologies (SMT) Hydra TAVR

Hydra TAVR valve gains key approval as global reach continues to grow

The self-expanding device is now available in more than 20 countries and received CE mark approval back in 2020. However, it has not yet been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for use in the United States.

Around the web

Several key trends were evident at the Radiological Society of North America 2024 meeting, including new CT and MR technology and evolving adoption of artificial intelligence.

Ron Blankstein, MD, professor of radiology, Harvard Medical School, explains the use of artificial intelligence to detect heart disease in non-cardiac CT exams.