The Lotus Valve System: an In-depth Review of the Technology

Innovation for transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) has transformed a medically complex treatment into a standardized procedure. While Edwards SAPIEN and Medtronic CoreValve occupy the market for TAVR in the United States (US), additional valve systems are being developed. The Boston Scientific Lotus Valve system was recently FDA-approved and will represent the third valve in the US market. This evidence-based review will summarize advantages, disadvantages, and projected impact of this new TAVR system.

The Lotus Valve system demonstrates superiority in terms of rates of paravalvular leak, with similar rates of mortality and disabling stroke. This benefit is at the expense of increased pacemaker implantation rates, though preliminary data from subsequent iterations of the Lotus Valve suggest decreasing rates over time. There is much anticipation from ongoing trials utilizing the Lotus Edge system, which may perform best for those with pre-existing pacemakers or anatomy that increases likelihood of paravalvular leak.