LHCH hosts European TAVI masterclass

The Cath Lab team at Liverpool Heart and Chest Hospital NHS Foundation Trust were pleased to host a two-day valve academy earlier this week.  The event, sponsored by Boston Scientific, focused on sharing learning and best practice in Transcatheter Aortic Valve Implantation (TAVI).  TAVI is a minimally invasive procedure used to improve the blood flow in the heart by replacing an aortic valve that doesn’t open fully.  LHCH was selected to host the training as it is a high-volume TAVI centre with substantial experience implanting the Acurate Neo Valve System. 

TAVI operators from across Europe attended the event at a hotel in Liverpool where they were met by members of the LHCH Cath Lab team who are clinical specialists in TAVI.  Four live TAVI cases were livestreamed from the Cath Labs at LHCH directly to the event venue.  Live cases were accompanied at the session by presentations and discussion.  This covered how TAVI is routinely performed at LHCH, approach, equipment used and standard strategies.  The team also covered REACT and explained how this has informed the team’s response to medical emergencies in the structural lab.  REACT is Cath Lab specific resuscitation guidelines, adopted in 2022, that were implemented in the centre seeing huge improvements in how the team respond to in lab emergencies.

Nicola Shurvinton, Cath Lab Matron said:

“It’s been a pleasure to host and share our experience and knowledge with clinical colleagues from across Europe at this education event.  The LHCH TAVI team have pioneered a range of novel approaches to improve the safety, predictability and efficiency of TAVI procedure.  These have improved the patient experience, with a faster, more minimally invasive approach that not only makes the procedure a simpler experience but also allows admission on the day of the procedure and discharge the very next day.  For the hospital and the wider NHS, this also allows us to help more patients on a single planned list, improve waiting times and reduce costs.  Thank you to the Cath Lab team for their outstanding hard work and dedication over the last two days.  Without whom these events would not succeed. ” 

Pictured below: 

Members of the Cath Lab team involved in the two-day event.