| Catheter-based treatment of structural heart disease is a recent but rapidly evolving treatment modality. At present it is primarily reserved for patients with aortic stenosis who are considered poor candidate for surgical valve replacement. As a result of ongoing research and innovations in catheter technology, bioprosthestetic materials (scaffolding frame and tissue), imaging (3-4D, co-registration) in addition to operator experience, it is expected that catheter-based treatment will also be available for other forms of structural heart disease such as mitral and aortic regurgitation, left ventricular systolic dysfunction in addition to the application of these techniques in patients who are candidate for surgical treatment. Research in this domain will encompass 1] clinical cohort research examining the safety and efficacy, the evaluation of responder and non-responder by the definition of determinants of (clinical and technical) outcome by means of single- and multicenter collaborative efforts, 2] pathofysiologic assessment of the effects of treatment on the morphology, function and haemodynamics of various cardiac components (myocardium, valves, ascending aorta) in collaboration with the department of radiology and experimental cardiology, 3] randomised clinical comparison between catheter-based and surgical treatment of structural heart disease, 4] advanced imaging allowing 3 and eventually 4 D co-registration of the anatomy during treatment (collaboration with experimental cardiology, radiology and industry) |
