Replacement Transcatheter Heart Valve

The Sapien transcatheter aortic valve (TAV) by Edwards Lifesciences is an alternative to open-heart surgery for patients who need a new valve.
FDA approved Sapien on November 2, 2011. Edwards Lifesciences announced on October 15, 2015 that high-risk patients who received the advanced Edwards Sapien 3 THV via transfemoral delivery had a one-year survival rate of 89.3 percent and low rates of stroke and paravalvular leak. According to the announcement, Sapien 3 THV replacement was associated with a very low overall disabling stroke rate of 2.4 percent.
Check out the link for more information on the announcement here.
The Sapien valve is made of cow tissue that is attached to a stainless steel mesh with a polyester wrap. Below is a picture of the valve:

So cool!
The valve can be implanted in patients using the transfemoral technique or transapical technique. Check out the techniques here.
The valve is inserted into the body by cutting a small opening in the artery carrying blood to the leg. The valve is placed on the end of a balloon catheter, and is inserted into the opening in the leg. The catheter is pushed through the blood vessels until it reaches the damaged or diseased valve. the balloon on the end of the catheter is then blown up to expand the valve so it stays in the place. Once the new valve is in place, it helps the blood flow properly by opening and closing at the correct time to force the blood to flow in the correct direction.

Also, there is an article on comparison study between the Sapien Transcatheter Heart Valve by Edwards Lifesciences and CoreValve ReValving System by Medtronic here. It really is an interesting read.

-B