In case you missed it... The world's first robotic TAVR explantation procedure was just performed by Dr. Vinay Badhwar at WVU Heart and Vascular Institute. Watch this video interview with Dr. Badhwar to discover how this groundbreaking innovation may redefine the approach to complex TAVR explants and aortic valve reoperations.

Right on the heels of National Heart Valve Disease Awareness Day, we have some important medical technology news to share... Artificial intelligence may soon help physicians detect one of the most overlooked cardiac conditions: heart valve disease.

Post-operative AFib is a BIG PROBLEM that impacts up to 30% of heart surgery patients. For that reason, I was very interested to learn about an innovative, new clinical trial evaluating the CardiaMend patch for the prevention of post-op AFib. To get the details about the CardiaMend clinical trial, click here to see my new interview with Dr. Robert Saeid Farivar.

Earlier in Mitral Valve Disease Awareness Week, we shared the "Top 5 Considerations for Mitral Valve Surgery Patients" which addressed the use of new transcatheter mitral valve therapies for non-invasive mitral valve repair and mitral valve replacement operations. These mitral valve therapies require no incision to the patient's chest and no use of the heart-lung machine.

Medical advances are rapidly transforming mitral valve disease therapy. As a result, both surgical and transcatheter techniques are providing mitral valve patients better outcomes and better therapeutic experiences with less pain and discomfort.

In case you missed it... I just posted a very interesting interview transcript with Dr. Samir Kapadia, Chairman of Cardiology at Cleveland Clinic.

For heart surgery patients, one of the scary and dislocating thoughts associated with the operation is… having your sternum broken.

In case you missed the big news…

If you are interested in the new clinical trial results for low-risk TAVR devices, I just posted a follow-up story to my last article about the PARTNER 3 research study by Edwards Lifesciences.

There are LOTS of great advances happening in the treatment of heart valve disease. Many of those technological breakthroughs enable cardiologists and surgeons to perform life-saving procedures with smaller-and-smaller incisions.

In case you missed it… The INSPIRIS RESILIA heart valve is now available in the United States. This is an important development for patients who require a more resilient tissue valve for the replacement of their native or prosthetic aortic valve.^

Timing heart valve surgery can be tricky for cardiologists, for surgeons and, ultimately, for patients. For this reason, doctors and medical device companies are working together to develop next-generation technologies to determine the right time to operate or to continue "watchful waiting".

As I personally experienced... Sternal wires are commonly used to support the breast bone as it heals after open heart surgery. As a community... We have openly discussed the discomfort and pain that can be associated with sternal wires during the healing process. In fact, several patients in our community have had their sternal wires removed.

Given all the recent developments about "Valve-in-Valve" procedures, my inbox is swelling up with questions. For example, Connie asked me, "I had my aortic valve replaced in 2014. What are the chances of Valve-in-Valve replacement for smaller sizes such as 21mm Edwards Magna Ease pericardial valve?"

For most patients needing heart valve surgery, a heart-lung machine is typically used during the operation. As you may know, the heart-lung machine enables the surgeon to stop and cool the heart so the valve can be fixed while the heart is not beating.

I can not keep up with all the new advances in heart valve therapy. In the last 24 hours, I learned about FDA approvals for the Avalus heart valve by Medtronic and the Inspiris Resilia by Edwards Lifesciences. I also came across a fascinating story about 3D printing and heart valve replacements.

There is an outright explosion of medical advances specific to heart valve devices. In this edition of "Medical Wow!", I'd like to introduce you to Project ImaValve.

In case you missed it.... There is some BIG NEWS to report. Last week, the SAPIEN 3 received FDA approval for mitral and aortic "Valve-In-Valve" replacement for high-risk patients. As you might remember, we've been talking about the wonderful possibilities of Valve-in-Valve techniques for years with doctors, like Dr. Eric Roselli, and patients, like Jesse McBride.

We've talked about how the tricuspid valve is often referred to as the "forgotten valve" within cardiac care. At the same time, we've also learned that the treatment of tricuspid valve regurgitation is on the rise -- either as a stand-alone therapy or combined with a mitral valve procedure.

[For an update to this post, please click here.]