New Access Devices Create Gateway To Interventional Structural Heart Disease

Now that transcatheter heart valves have been implanted in thousands of humans, it’s becoming clear where the problems lie. Vascular and bleeding complications, stroke and paravalvular leaks are the most troubling consequences. Most of the focus has been on improving the valves and the delivery systems, but now innovators are looking at the issue of access – the particular ways by which therapeutic devices enter the heart – and how it can be changed to improve outcomes. In this issue we profile Apica Cardiovascular, Entourage Medical and Inseal Medical.