Interventional cardiology and bioengineering, a revolution to be completed
From Tavi to percutaneous mitral valve repair procedures to 3D printing: how the engineering acumen and clinical mastery of the cardiologist are rewriting the rules of cardiac treatment
by Francesco Saia *, Alfredo Marchese **.
Bioengineering is rewriting the rules of interventional cardiology. Thanks to the synergy between the two disciplines, interventions are becoming more effective and precise, drastically improving patients' prognosis and quality of life. However, this is only half a revolution: the potential of the strategic alliance between bioengineering and interventional cardiology is only partially exploited. Until people learn to share expertise and acquire a common language, much of the potential of this union risks remaining unexploited. Never before has it been so necessary to make the most of this meeting of knowledge.
This will therefore be one of the major issues, crucial for the future, that will be addressed at our 46th national congress of the Italian Society of Interventional Cardiology (Gise), in Milan.
The "Tavi case"
.The greatest impact of bioengineering is in the diagnosis and treatment of valvular diseases, as well as revolutionising the technological equipment of the interventional cardiologist.
For coronary interventions, the development of drug-eluting stents (Des) as new partially or fully resorbable stents and drug-coated balloons (DCBs), structures that perform their supportive function by minimising or eliminating permanent traces on the body, are discussed.
A key example of this collaboration is the Tavi (Transcatheter Aortic Valve Implantation) system. This system makes it possible to implant a collapsible, self-expanding valve through a small vascular access, avoiding open-heart surgery. Materials engineering and the mechanics of delivery systems are crucial to the success of this minimally invasive miracle.
