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Updated: May 29, 2026

Echocardiographic Evaluation of Atrial Communications before Transcatheter Closure
Published on: February 8, 2022
EAE/ASE recommendations for the use of echocardiography in new transcatheter interventions for valvular heart disease
Jose L Zamorano1, Luigi P Badano, Charles Bruce
1University Clinic San Carlos, Madrid, Spain. zamorano@secardiologia.es
Insights
Echocardiography is crucial for new transcatheter valve interventions, guiding patient selection, procedures, and follow-up. New guidelines from European and American echocardiography societies offer a reference for these evolving treatments.
Area of Science:
- Cardiovascular Medicine
- Medical Imaging
- Interventional Cardiology
Background:
- Transcatheter interventions for valvular heart disease are expanding, including aortic valve implantation, mitral repair, and paravalvular leak closure.
- Echocardiography is vital for patient selection, intra-procedural guidance, and post-procedure monitoring in these minimally invasive treatments.
Purpose of the Study:
- To provide recommendations for the use of echocardiography in new transcatheter interventions for valvular heart disease.
- To establish a reference document for echocardiographers involved in these novel procedures.
Main Methods:
- Development of consensus-based recommendations by leading echocardiography societies.
- Review of current evidence and clinical practice for echocardiography in transcatheter valve interventions.
Main Results:
- The document outlines the essential role of echocardiography throughout the entire process of transcatheter valve interventions.
- It highlights specific echocardiographic considerations and techniques required for these procedures, differing from routine evaluations.
Conclusions:
- Echocardiography is indispensable for the successful application and monitoring of transcatheter valve therapies.
- These recommendations aim to standardize and improve the quality of echocardiographic assessment in this rapidly advancing field.
Abstract:
The introduction of devices for transcatheter aortic valve implantation, mitral repair, and closure of prosthetic paravalvular leaks has led to a greatly expanded armamentarium of catheter-based approaches to patients with regurgitant as well as stenotic valvular disease. Echocardiography plays an essential role in identifying patients suitable for these interventions and in providing intra-procedural monitoring. Moreover, echocardiography is the primary modality for post-procedure follow-up. The echocardiographic assessment of patients undergoing trans-catheter interventions places demands on echocardiographers that differ from those of the routine evaluation of patients with native or prosthetic valvular disease. Consequently, the European Association of Echocardiography in partnership with the American Society of Echocardiography has developed the recommendations for the use of echocardiography in new transcatheter interventions for valvular heart disease. It is intended that this document will serve as a reference for echocardiographers participating in any or all stages of new transcatheter treatments for patients with valvular heart disease.
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