Structural heart (SH) disease deals with a group of non-coronary heart diseases that affect the structure of the heart, such as a malfunctioning of the valves, septal defects, holes in the heart, or other defects. SH disease may be a result of congenital defects, wear and tear, or other heart conditions. SH cardiology has been evolving over the last half-century, as a sub-specialty of interventional cardiology (IC).
Diagnosis of SH diseases is only possible through imaging techniques such as an echocardiogram, MRI, chest X-ray, or an electrocardiogram.
Treatments that use implants and catheter-based procedures rely heavily on:
- Device quality and precision
- Expertise of the SH cardiologist
Although SH diseases are uncommon, there are various types of conditions that are considered structural heart conditions.
Conditions that can be treated with a percutaneous transcatheter occlusion device, tailored for each condition, include:
- Atrial septal defect (ASD): There are many variations of ASD, but most are treated through surgery or by percutaneous closure, which can close defective openings in the atrial septum.
- Patent foramen ovale (PFO): The foramen ovale (an opening between the right and left atrium) facilitates blood flow during the embryonic stages of life, and should normally close soon after birth.
- Ventricular septal defects (VSD): These defects in the membrane of the ventricular septum or muscles in this region are treated using transcatheter closure devices, which has been found to be more successful than classic surgical closure.
- Patent ductus arteriosus (PDA): PDA allows for the passage of blood from the pulmonary artery into the aorta during embryonic life;defects in the closure of the passage post-birth must be treated immediately to prevent an enlarged heart.
- Left atrial appendage (LAA): Blood clots formed in the LAA region cause thromboembolism; clogging the site can prevent clot formation.
- Paravalvular leak (PVL): This results from leaks in prosthetic valves or implanted rings.
- Post-MI ventricular septal rupture: Ruptures caused by MI surgery can be closed using an occlusion device.
- Hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy (HOCM): Apart from surgery and medications, a catheter-based treatment called percutaneous transluminal septal myocardial ablation can be performed.
Conditions that can be treated with an implant placed percutaneously (i.e., delivered by a specialized catheter through the skin) include:
- Left ventricular aneurysm: The aneurysm causes muscle damage; an implanted device is used to separate the damaged muscle from healthy tissue.
- Valvular heart disease: Including mitral stenosis and regurgitation (treated with a clip implant), aortic stenosis (performing a valve replacement) can be treated with percutaneous devices specific to each condition.
Given the critical nature of these treatments, medical device brands (OEMs) must ensure the highest manufacturing quality and precision. To this end, Quasar offers sterile production and packaging, and efficient transport of transcatheter devices and implants. Quasar’s superior production and supply chain management practices means it can also handle variations in order sizes owing. We are totally committed to top global standards and to meet our customers’ exact specifications.