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.

Mitral and_tricuspid transcatheter valves Evoque and Intrepid were discussed at TVT 2022.

VIDEO: Advances in transcatheter tricuspid and mitral valve technology

Anita W. Asgar, MD, director, transcatheter valve therapy research at Montréal Heart Institute, discusses advances and new technology for mitral and tricuspid valves at the 2022 Transcatheter Valve Therapies (TVT) meeting. 

AI Eko smart stethoscope machine learning heart murmurs adult pediatric patients FDA clearance

FDA clears Eko’s latest AI model for heart murmurs

The algorithm works with Eko's smart stethoscopes to help physicians identify and diagnose structural heart murmurs. 

Adam Greenbaum, MD, transcatheter electrosurgery to prevent left ventricular outflow tract (LVOT) obstruction using a new procedure called Septal Scoring Along the Midline Endocardium (SESAME). The transcatheter procedure mimicking surgical myotomy.

VIDEO: Transcatheter myectomy to prevent LVOT obstruction in mitral valve replacement

Adam Greenbaum, MD, explains how transcatheter electrosurgery can be used to prevent left ventricular outflow tract (LVOT) obstruction using a new procedure called Septal Scoring Along the Midline Endocardium (SESAME).

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Patients can safely undergo noncardiac surgeries after TAVR without a long delay

However, the study’s authors did find associations between suboptimal TAVR procedures and adverse outcomes.

The Corvia Atrial Shunt is designed to address elevated left atrial pressure (LAP) heart failure patients.

VIDEO: Overview of intra-atrial shunts to treat heart failure

Cardiologist Peter Fail, MD, discusses the idea of using shunts to form a passage that enables the left atrium to decompress at rest and during physical activity. The goal is to lower left atrial pressure in heart failure patients.

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Radiation exposure during structural heart procedures much higher for echocardiographers than cardiologists

The new analysis focused on transcatheter edge-to-edge repair and left atrial appendage occlusion procedures.

The projected number of acquired cardiomyopathy cases are expected to greatly outpace the number of new familial cardiomyopathy cases by 2031 in the U.S., driven mainly by poor lifestyles. This is expected to have a big impact on healthcare.

U.S. expected to see large rise in cardiomyopathy cases over next decade

“Even if we compensate for the differences in population size, the U.S. is still miles ahead when it comes to total cardiomyopathy cases," explained Walter Gabriel, MPH, an epidemiologist and analyst on the report.

View of an Amulet left atrial appendage (LAA) occluder on 4D intra-cardiac echo (ICE) from a GE NuVision ICE catheter. Since ICE is operated by the interventionalist, it can be used to reduce the number of people needed to perform an LAA occlusion procedure.  

New LAA occluder technology and the debate on echo vs. CT image guidance

At TVT 2022, there was debate whether CT imaging is needed for preplanning LAA procedures, and several new devices in development were discussed.

Around the web

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

Eleven medical societies have signed on to a consensus statement aimed at standardizing imaging for suspected cardiovascular infections.