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.

Medtronic Penditure Left Atrial Appendage (LAA) Exclusion System

Medtronic debuts new FDA-cleared LAA exclusion device

Medtronic acquired the technology behind the new device back in August.

November 27, 2023
Smartphone

Smartphone app helps TAVR patients avoid major complications

Hospital readmissions, ER visits and major complications were all less likely when TAVR patients used a smartphone app to assist with their recovery. 

November 20, 2023
The Bern TAVI Registry looked at 2,500 TAVR patients to determine the level of prosthesis-patient mismatch (PPM) using transthoracic echocardiography (TTE), predicting PPM based one the size of the valve used, or using CT measurements of the aortic annulus to see which was method was most accurate at predicting PPM. Image courtesy of Tomii et al. 

Cardiologists may want to rethink how they track prosthesis-patient mismatch after TAVR

Researchers evaluated two techniques for predicting PPM after TAVR, comparing them to how cardiologists typically check for PPM in day-to-day practice. 

November 17, 2023

TAVR linked to favorable outcomes for asymptomatic and minimally symptomatic patients—but is it necessary?

While TAVR is safe for minimally symptomatic patients, questions remain about whether or not it is actually needed. A new analysis in JACC: Cardiovascular Interventions examines this topic in detail.

November 15, 2023
Firas Zahr, MD, Oregon Health and Science University, discusses the one-year outcomes for transfemoral transcatheter mitral valve replacement (TMVR) in the Medtronic Intrepid Early Feasibility Study presented at TCT 2023.

Intrepid transfemoral transcatheter mitral valve shows favorable results after 1 year

Firas Zahr, MD, spoke to Cardiovascular Business about early data on the Medtronic TMVR device. His team's study is designed to follow patients for a total of five years.

November 10, 2023
Doctor patient

TAVR utilization skyrocketed over 5-year period, improving survival for older AS patients

The study focused on patients 65 years old and older who underwent treatment in one of 21 high-income countries. 

November 10, 2023
older patient with a doctor at their house

Ross procedure still linked to ‘excellent’ outcomes as patients enter third decade after surgery

Researchers focused on more than 100 patients who underwent the Ross procedure from 1994 to 2001, sharing their findings in JAMA Cardiology.

November 9, 2023
Medtronic Onyx Frontier DES stent with an enlarged 3D print of the stent used in bifurcation stenting. Photo by Dave Fornell

PHOTO GALLERY: Interventional cardiology technologies at TCT 2023

Browse through some of the many highlights from TCT 2023 in San Francisco.

November 9, 2023

Around the web

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

Kate Hanneman, MD, explains why many vendors and hospitals want to lower radiology's impact on the environment. "Taking steps to reduce the carbon footprint in healthcare isn’t just an opportunity," she said. "It’s also a responsibility."

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