June 9, 2022
A New Technology Used in Interventional Cardiology
Dr. Réda Ibrahim of the Montreal Heart Institute (MHI) and Dr. Josep Rodés-Cabau of the Quebec Heart and Lung Institute (IUCPQ) simultaneously performed the world’s first use of the SavvyWireTM. This state-of-the-art medical device is designed to support the minimalist approach to transcatheter aortic valve implantation, also known as the TAVI procedure.
Aortic Stenosis
Aortic stenosis is the most common heart valve disease in the elderly. It is a progressive disease that occurs when the heart’s aortic valve narrows, preventing it from fully opening and closing. The heart muscle then has to work harder to pump the necessary amount of blood and oxygen throughout the body. Currently, there is no medication to prevent, slow or reverse the progression of aortic stenosis. Therefore, valve replacement is the only effective treatment option.
The Less Invasive Therapy for Severe Aortic Stenosis
Unlike conventional surgery that involves opening the chest cavity, the TAVI procedure allows for minimally invasive aortic valve replacement. This approach consists in implanting a catheter through a large artery in the groin or making a small incision in the chest.
The SavvyWireTM, Specifically Designed for the TAVI Procedure
The SavvyWire is the first intelligent, pre-shaped, structural guidewire with integrated pressure monitoring and ventricular simulation capability. This advanced technology improves procedural efficiency and clinical outcomes by allowing multiple steps over the same device without swapping. This allows physicians to implant the percutaneous valve over the same device while obtaining continuous and accurate hemodynamic measurements to assist their diagnosis right in the operating room. In other words, this structural guidewire provides accurate pressure with a safer and more efficient procedure. Health Canada licensed it in April 2022.