The Future of Valve Replacments

Every year, tens of thousands of cardiologists, cardiovascular surgeons, and healthcare professionals gather to hear wonderful lectures from international experts, debate dozens of controversies in cardiology, and hear the latest study results in the Late Breaking Trials sessions.

One of this year's most interesting presentations at the American College of Cardiology (ACC) 2011 Scientific Sessions concerned the the replacement of aortic valves using a catheter from the groin arteries as opposed to open heart surgery. Amazingly, this relatively new and incredibly cool technology was shown to be just as good as the tried and true standard surgical method of aortic valve replacement for the primary end point of mortality.

"These results indicate that [transcatheter aortic-valve replacement] TAVR is an acceptable alternative to AVR in selected high-risk operable patients," said Dr. Craig Smith, the principle investigator for the trial. "Future randomized studies should focus on lower-risk patients who are candidates for operation."

Dr David Moliterno (University of Kentucky, Lexington), another panelist who was not involved in the study, told members of the press: "You really are witnessing history in the making. This is one of the biggest steps in cardiovascular medicine in our lifetime."

Interestingly, these procedures are only done at selected major cardiovascular centers across the country, one of which is The Gagnon Cardiovascular Institute at Morristown Memorial Hospital, the only hospital in New Jersey to do so.