State-of-the-art percutaneous pulmonary valve therapy

Abstract

Transcatheter pulmonary valve replacement is one of the most exciting recent developments in the treatment of patients with congenital heart disease and is being used to treat both stenotic and regurgitant valves within previously placed surgical conduits. Although limited somewhat by both patients and available valve sizes, ongoing attempts are being made to extend this technology to native right ventricular outflow tracts. If achieved, this will represent a significant advancement in attempts to prevent morbidity and mortality secondary to the chronic effects of right ventricular volume loading. This review deals with the development, current status and future endeavors of this approach.

Keywords::

• pulmonary
• regurgitation
• stent
• transcatheter
• valve

Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank Andrew Taylor and Qi-Ling Cao for providing some of the images used in this manuscript.

Financial & competing interests disclosure

ZM Hijazi is a consultant for Edwards Lifesciences, the company that manufactures the Edwards SAPIEN transcatheter heart valve. The authors have no other relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript apart from those disclosed.

No writing assistance was utilized in the production of this manuscript.

Notes

NYHA: New York Heart Association; PR: Pulmonary regurgitation; PRF: Pulmonary regurgitant fraction; RVFS: Right ventricular fractional shortening; RVOT: Right ventricular outflow tract; RV–PA: Right-ventricular-to-pulmonary artery; TTE: Transthoracic echocardiogram; TV: Tricuspid valve.