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.

Cardiologists make case against routine interventions for asymptomatic severe AS
Aortic valve replacement is likely inevitable for patients with asymptomatic severe aortic stenosis. Immediately planning for TAVR or SAVR, however, may not always be the answer.
AHA still working to find more patients with severe aortic stenosis who may require care
The initiative is designed to help identify more patients who may require aortic valve replacement. Brian Lindman, MD, provided an update on the project's efforts.
Timing is everything: Delaying noncardiac surgery after a heart procedure reduces risks
When patients require subsequent noncardiac surgery after a major heart operation, waiting at least 100 days is one way to limit the risk of an adverse event. Read the full analysis in JACC: Advances.
The biggest names in TAVR are sharing new data at ACC.25
The country’s two biggest TAVR vendors both plan on making a splash at ACC.25. Medtronic and Edwards Lifesciences spoke to Cardiovascular Business about their plans for the three-day event in Chicago.
First-in-class SAVR valve from Edwards Lifesciences linked to positive 5-year outcomes
Researchers focused on a relatively young patient population, hoping to learn as much as possible about the surgical valve's safety and effectiveness over an extended period of time.

heart data research doctor cardiologist AI

TAVR vs. SAVR: Real-world data highlight advantages of both techniques

The biggest differences, researchers noted, were found in the long-term outcomes of low- and intermediate-risk patients.

Cardiologists treat first commercial patients with FDA-cleared valve-in-valve TAVR device

Pi-Cardia, an Israeli medtech company, describes ShortCut as the “world’s first dedicated leaflet modification device."

Douglas Overbey, MD, an assistant professor in the department of surgery at Duke University School of Medicine, checks in with 9-year-old Kensley Frizzell as she recovers from heart surgery. Image courtesy of Duke Health and Duke University School of Medicine.

Surgeons make history, perform world’s first living mitral valve replacement

The historic heart procedure was part of a series of operations that saved the lives of three young girls. “The whole situation is extraordinary, whether you look at it from the standpoint of a scientific breakthrough or the average person’s point of view,” one parent said.

The Medtronic CoreValve Evolut and the Edwards Lifesciences Sapien 3 TAVR valves.

Second-generation TAVR valves from Medtronic, Edwards Lifesciences and Boston Scientific are all associated with similar seven-year outcomes, according to a new retrospective study out of Italy.

Newsweek ranked the 50 best heart hospitals in the world

Know your options: What cardiologists recommend when alternative access is required for TAVR

Transfemoral TAVR is not always a viable option. In those instances, the two most effective alternatives are transcarotid access and transcaval access, according to a new SCAI expert consensus statement.

Heart surgery during pregnancy: Tracking the safety of a rare, sometimes unavoidable, scenario

How safe is it to perform cardiac surgery on a pregnant patient? When should care teams try to deliver the baby first and then complete the procedure? A team of Mayo Clinic researchers addressed those very questions, and many others, in a new analysis.

Aakriti Gupta, MD, Cedars-Sinai, explains use of cerebral embolic protection devices in TAVR

An updated look at the use of cerebral embolic protection devices during TAVR

Cardiologist Aakriti Gupta, MD, MSc, spoke to Cardiovascular Business about the latest data and trends associated with using cerebral embolic protection devices during TAVR to lower the risk of stroke.

A baby in New York underwent open heart surgery as it was being delivered in what is believed to be the first operation of its kind.

Surgeons first in world to perform open heart surgery on baby mid-delivery

The baby had been diagnosed with an especially challenging case of hypoplastic left heart syndrome.

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Structural Heart Disease

Cardiologists make case against routine interventions for asymptomatic severe AS

AHA still working to find more patients with severe aortic stenosis who may require care

Timing is everything: Delaying noncardiac surgery after a heart procedure reduces risks

The biggest names in TAVR are sharing new data at ACC.25

First-in-class SAVR valve from Edwards Lifesciences linked to positive 5-year outcomes

Around the web