The ascending aorta and arch in the sights of transcatheter therapy: A time for reappraisal

Abstract

The ascending aorta and arch have until recently been one of the last bastions of cardiovascular surgery, where life-threatening diseases impose the need for prompt correction and reversal of the impending adverse prognosis. Though a disease where dogmatic recommendations prevail, with upfront surgical intervention in the mind of

Training the trainee in structural heart disease: A need for change

“…1 Since then, numerous devices and clinical trials have emerged offering transcatheter options for the treatment of heart failure and mitral, tricuspid, and aortic diseases. [2][3][4][5][6] These changes have significant implications for the training of current and future cardiac surgeons, as all graduates need to have basic proficiency in this domain to become valvular specialists. 7 As transcatheter interventions expand further into mainstay clinical practice, trainees will face greater pressure to stay abreast of these procedures to remain competitive.…”