Luminaries in Structural Heart

Join host Andrea Scotti and guest Puja Parikh as they discuss career growth in cardiology—covering mentorship, research, publishing, and leadership strategies to help early career physicians build impactful, successful paths in structural heart. #StructuralHeart, #InterventionalCardiology, #LuminariesInStructuralHeart, #MedEd, #CardiologyCommunity

Join Dr. Guilherme Attizzani and Dr. Jai Parekh for an expert discussion on coronary cannulation and access strategies after TAVR, highlighting commissural alignment, device evolution, procedural techniques, and evidence demonstrating reliable coronary access and improved outcomes with contemporary Evolut platforms.

In this new episode, Marcus R. Burns, DNP, RCIS, AACC, Structural Interventional Cardiology at Minneapolis Heart Institute (MHI)/Abbott Northwestern, shares how his team evaluated their own small-annulus TAVR outcomes and compared their real-world experience with findings from the SMART trial. Marcus discusses what prompted the analysis, how his team collected and followed their institutional data through three years, and how their findings compared with trends observed in SMART. He also shares how these insights have influenced their approach to valve selection, hemodynamics, longitudinal follow-up, and heart-team decision-making for patients with small annuli.

Angel Caldera, MD, interviews Paul Mahoney, MD, on TAV-in-SAV for failed bioprosthetic valves. They review patient selection, valve sizing, and coronary obstruction risk using CT planning. The discussion highlights leaflet modification, stroke considerations, anticoagulation strategies, and the ever-evolving balance between redo surgery and transcatheter approaches.

Dr. Lucas Seibolt and Dr. Rony Lahoud examine the complexities of treating bicuspid aortic valve disease in the TAVR era. This episode dives into anatomical considerations, procedural nuances, and emerging data—offering insights to help clinicians navigate one of the field’s most persistent challenges.

Join Sarah Kennedy and Jessica Kiszka as they explore best practices for optimizing post-TAVR care. From discharge planning to long-term follow-up, this episode highlights practical strategies to improve patient outcomes, streamline workflows, and support lifetime management in today’s evolving structural heart landscape.

In this episode, Dr. Kendra Grubb and Dr. Janine Eckstein take a closer look at the unique challenges faced by women with aortic stenosis (AS) and explore how transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) is transforming outcomes for female patients. They dive into the disparities in clinical outcomes between women undergoing surgical aortic valve replacement (SAVR) versus TAVR, and share their insights on how tailored approaches to care can help improve patient outcomes.

For additional context, check out this meta-analysis by Panoulas VF et al., which highlights how women have historically shown worse clinical outcomes with surgery compared to TAVR.

Tune in to hear Dr. Grubb and Dr. Eckstein’s perspectives on this important topic and learn how advancements in structural heart therapies are helping to address gender-specific challenges in treating AS.

In this episode of the Structural Heart Podcast: Luminaries Series, host Dr. Daniel O’Hair welcomes Dr. Daniel Spoon, a unique voice in the field of interventional cardiology, to discuss the often-overlooked mental stress faced by interventional cardiologists. The conversation delves into the high-pressure nature of cardiovascular interventions, where physicians must navigate unpredictable emergencies, long hours, and life-and-death situations—all while maintaining composure and precision. Dr. Spoon shares his unique journey from orthopedic surgery to interventional cardiology, highlighting the emotional and psychological demands of the profession and the strategies he has developed to manage them.

The discussion explores burnout, work-life balance, and the importance of mental resilience in sustaining a long and fulfilling career. Dr. Spoon draws from sports psychology principles to explain how managing stress, maintaining self-awareness, and fostering team cohesion can enhance performance and well-being. The episode also emphasizes the need for better mental health training in medical education, equipping future physicians with the tools to handle stress effectively. Ultimately, this episode serves as a candid and insightful reflection on the challenges of modern cardiology and the mindset required to thrive in this demanding field. UC202506521 EN.