TAVI Foundation

Hello and welcome to all! I am very excited to have the opportunity to share what I will be researching over the next few months.

My senior research project is focused on the implications of Transcatheter Aortic Valve Implantation (TAVI) and potential problems that arise from this procedure.  As an introduction to my research project I will lay some foundation on he application of TAVI.

Figure 1

Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement (TAVR)--another term for TAVI--is a minimally invasive, FDA approved procedure used to treat patients diagnosed with Aortic Stenosis, a condition where the aortic valve becomes narrowed and or obstructed. The most common form of Aortic Stenosis is degenerative caused by age-related calcium deposits (see figure 2). Occasionally, Aortic Stenosis can be caused by a congenital disorder such as a bicuspid valve (an aortic valve that has two leaflets as opposed to three). Symptoms of this disease include: chest pain, fainting, fatigue, heart palpitations and heart murmurs. Severe Aortic Stenosis is a contributing factor to heart rhythm abnormalities, inadequate blood flood, and heart failure. Without treatment the average life expectancy after the onset of heart failure is between 6 to 24 months.

Figure 2

TAVR is considered the ideal treatment option for patients who are considered high risk for standard surgical valve replacement surgery. This reasoning is simply based on TAVR's non-invasive nature. For this reason, most people who have this procedure are in their 70s or 80s and often have other medical conditions that make them a good candidate for this surgery.  Once diagnosed, a cardiologist or surgeon must then assess which appropriate approach to TAVR's application.

This procedure can be pro formed using a few different strategies. A physician can enter through the femoral artery (a large artery in the groin region) and access the heart by navigating up through the body's arterial system. This is called the transfemoral approach, which does not require a surgical incision in the chest. The second requires a minimally invasive surgical approach with a small incision in the chest and entering through the tip of the left ventricle or the apex of the heart. This is known as the transapical approach. For a visual, see figure 3.

Figure 3

A TAVI procedure does not come without risk. However, TAVI provides a treatment option for patients who previously where deemed too high of a risk to surgically operate on. TAVI also provides the added benefits of a shorter recovery time with an average hospital stay of 3-5 days. Transcatheter Aortic Valve Repair is an emerging treatment option that is improving every year. It provides a multitude of benefits as its application advances. But regardless, it is up to the medical community to decide whether this procedure's application is more beneficial than its competitors. Truthfully, only time will tell.

Thank you for taking the time to read through one of my posts. Please comment if you have any questions or just want to be heard. I look forward to responding.

What is this?

Hi there, my name is Chance Marostica. I am a senior at BASIS Flagstaff and for my final trimester at BASIS I have been given the oppurtunity to participate in a Senior Research Project--SRP for short. My project will last a total of ten weeks, where I will be conducting research in a field of my choosing under the guidance of experts in that field. For the duration of the project I will posting on this blog to share and reflect upon my findings. 

I have always wanted to conduct meaningful research and gain hands on experience in the real world, and thankfully I received that opportunity. A technology-based manufacturing company, ------------ graciously allowed me to participate in research! Under the guidance and mentorship of my SRP advisors, ------------ and -------------, I will be learning and researching the application of engineering in a research environment.

For my SRP I will analyze the implications of Transcatheter Aortic Valve Implantion (TAVI) devices. TAVI is still considered a realatively new procedure but research and development has resulted in the application and success of this procedure to increase greatly in the past decacde. Advancements include: more accurate analysis of diacom data, refined usage of arterial mapping, improvement in delivery devices, and variation in the design of prosthetic valve types. The credit for the vast majority of these advancements goes to private medical device companies and their drive to improve and extend the legnth of pateint life.  Truthfully, this is what makes this research so meaningful to me. Maybe someday, the findings will be a small part of innovation in the medical field. Innovation that could improve a life.

Thank you for taking the time to read through one of my posts. Please comment if you have any questions or just want to be heard. I look forward to responding.