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.

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.

‘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.

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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.

SAVR outperforms TAVR in patients with bicuspid aortic valves

BAV patients are often excluded from TAVR trials, creating uncertainty about the best way to treat that population when aortic valve replacement is required. To learn more, researchers tracked CMS data from 2018 to 2022, presenting their findings in The Annals of Thoracic Surgery.

A TAVR procedure being performed at Northwestern Medicine in Chicago. These structural heart procedures require a team approach.

Treating AFib patients with TAVR still linked to elevated risks

While the technology and techniques associated with TAVR have advanced over the years, treating patients who present with baseline atrial fibrillation is still associated with certain risks.

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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

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