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.

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Endocarditis after SAVR more likely with bovine valves

Researchers examined data from more than 21,000 patients treated from 1997 to 2018, publishing their findings in the Journal of the American Heart Association.

January 3, 2024
Damaged Organ

Acute kidney injury after TAVR linked to certain risks, but most patients have a full recovery

“These findings are highly pertinent in a clinical setting," researchers explained. 

January 2, 2024
CardioMech mitral valve repair from CardioMech AS, a Norway-based medical device company focused on structural heart disease, has raised $13 million. This new funding is expected to go toward the continued development of CardioMech’s transcatheter mitral valve repair offering for patients presenting with degenerative mitral regurgitation (MR).

Medical device company raises $13M for new mitral valve repair technology

To date, the company has raised $42 million to develop its transcatheter mitral valve repair system.

January 2, 2024
“Undifferentiated Cardiac Sarcoma of the Mitral Valve: Multimodal Imaging Assessment" Radiology: Cardiothoracic Imaging RSNA

Radiologists select 2023's top images in cardiothoracic imaging

“Cardiothoracic imaging continues to evolve, fueled by technical innovations such as dynamic chest radiography, digital tomosynthesis and dark-field radiography," one radiologist said.

December 21, 2023

Balloon-expandable TAVR valves linked to superior 1-year outcomes

Asian patients are rarely represented in large TAVR trials, the authors wrote, so they focused on nearly 1,200 patients from South Korea to provide a fresh perspective. 

December 19, 2023
João Cavalcante, MD, Minneapolis Heart Institute, spoke at the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA) 2023 meeting to try and get more radiologists interested in cardiac imaging to help fill the rising need for cardiac imagers on structural heart teams and a growing number of other types of heart and acute care teams.

Filling the crucial role of multimodality imagers on the heart team

João Cavalcante, MD, spoke at RSNA 2023 about key topics and tried to get more radiologists interested in cardiac imaging.

December 15, 2023
Elderly patient doctor. Despite an expanded indication from the FDA and lower prices, patient access to these cholesterol-lowering medications remains a significant issue.

AFib before and after TAVR linked to significant risks

The new study included data on patients who presented for TAVR with preexisting AFib as well as those who developed new-onset AFib after the procedure. 

December 13, 2023
sonographer echo

Good to great: 5 ways to help sonographers deliver better echocardiograms and improve the diagnosis of severe AS

Sponsored by Medtronic

Hospitals should be making every effort to help sonographers deliver better, more accurate echocardiograms and improve the diagnosis of severe aortic stenosis. If you take care of your sonographers, your sonographers will take care of you. 

December 12, 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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