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Cardiology With M. Andrew Morse, MD, FSCAI

Cardiology

Dr. Morse is currently the chief of interventional cardiology and director of valvular and structural heart disease at Ascension Saint Thomas Hospital West in Nashville, Tennessee. He completed his training at Emory and Northwestern Universities, is active in medical device research, and is a member of several national trial steering committees.

ALIGN-AR Trial Explores Efficacy of Trilogy Heart Valve System

Dear readers,

Aortic regurgitation remains a complex condition to accurately quantify with imaging and address with non-surgical treatments. Exciting developments from TCT 2023 (#TCTMD) included the promising results of the ALIGN-AR trial, which explored the efficacy of the Trilogy Heart Valve SystemTM. This trial showcased the device in high-risk patients who underwent transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) as an alternative to conventional surgical replacement. The Trilogy Valve’s performance showed a 12-month survival rate of 7.8%, highlighting the potential of this innovative technology, leading to its FDA approval.

In addition, early findings from the use of the J-ValveTM, another TAVR device tailored for aortic regurgitation, were also published in 2023. Although the J-ValveTM showed promising outcomes, 2 patients required conversion to traditional surgery, prompting a device redesign.

These advancements signal a significant leap forward compared to the current off-label use of TAVR devices for aortic regurgitation. The ongoing evolution of this technology offers new hope for patient care and treatment outcomes.

Thank you,
Andrew Morse, MD

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