Health systems and practices are encountering new pressures as the number of adults with CHD expands. 

Led by a 37 percent increase in its transcatheter heart valve sales, Edwards Lifesciences reported on April 26 that its revenue increased 18.1 percent and its earnings per share increased 17.9 percent during the first quarter of 2016.

Have you ever wanted to be a fly on the wall when thought leaders in structural heart talk heart to heart about building their program, the challenges, the triumphs and the big picture, now is your chance, take a listen.

Medtronic announced on March 31 that the first patients had enrolled in an expanded indication trial for the CoreValve Evolut R System, a device for transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) procedures. The FDA approved the CoreValve Evolut R System in June 2015 to treat patients with severe aortic stenosis.

The FDA recently approved two investigational device exemption trials that will examine devices for patients undergoing transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR).

Approximately 91 percent of patients with primary mitral regurgitation had procedural success after undergoing transcatheter mitral valve repair with the MitraClip, according to a registry analysis. The researchers defined procedural success as a reduction to moderate or less mitral regurgitation in the absence of cardiac surgery or in-hospital mortality.

Transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) is proving to be a disruptive technology, as cardiac surgeons and cardiologists join forces and combine resources to determine its ultimate utility.

Abbott initiated a voluntary safety notice on Feb. 26 regarding its MitraClip delivery system. Although the FDA classified the notice as a Class I recall, Abbott is not removing any products from commercial distribution.