Annual SAVR volumes in the United States decreased by a whopping 44.5% from 2012 to 2022. However, heart teams across the country seem to agree that surgery is a safer, more effective treatment option than TAVR when patients present with bicuspid aortic valves. 

You can't judge a pediatric heart center by its volume, according to new research presented during STS 2024 in San Antonio.

STS announced the news Monday at its annual meeting in San Antonio. Jennifer C. Romano, MD, MS, is officially the first female president in the organization's 60-year history.

Nearly 50% of patients under the age of 60 are now opting for TAVR over SAVR, according to a new study presented at STS 2024 in San Antonio. "We owe it to our patients to take a more prominent role in providing the highest quality evidence to help our patients make these major healthcare decisions," one researcher said. 

Paravalvular leak remains a significant problem after TAVR, SAVR and even TMVR. Could a new-look interventional technique help heart teams overcome this issue and improve patient outcomes? 

Researchers tracked five-year data from more than 200 patients, sharing their findings in the American Journal of Cardiology.

According to the U.S. government, Asante Health System and one of its surgeons knowingly submitted false claims to Medicare, Medicaid and TRICARE for more than six years. 

With heart teams performing valve-in-valve TAVR more and more, researchers wanted to take a fresh look at patient outcomes. Overall, they found, the procedure was linked to a low mortality rate and fewer permanent pacemakers than native-valve TAVR.