Percutaneous valve interventions.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Open heart surgery has long been considered the gold standard for treatment of patients with valvular heart disease. Although results are excellent, this technique requires the use of cardiopulmonary bypass and is associated with protracted recovery and attendant risks of open surgery. The field of percutaneous valve interventions has emerged as a closed-chest alternative for all patients, but particularly those who otherwise would be considered too high risk for open surgery.

RECENT FINDINGS: Several devices are currently being evaluated in the clinical realm for each heart valve, particularly for the aortic and mitral positions. Early results are promising, but longer follow-up is necessary to determine durability of the procedures.

SUMMARY: Although only in its infancy, percutaneous valve therapies offer heart valve interventions without the use of cardiopulmonary bypass. This creates many new possibilities for patients, especially those who are deemed either high risk or inoperable by the usual surgical standards. Newer device iterations and longer term follow-up will be necessary as the field moves forward.