Delivery System Facilitates Prosthetic Valve Placement

Innovative heart valve technology features a rapid deployment system that facilitates aortic valve replacement (AVR) procedures.

The Edwards Intuity Elite Valve System is a bovine pericardial heart valve based on the Carpentier-Edwards Perimount heart valve design, and features an innovative balloon-expandable frame designed to facilitate rapid annular placement and reduce overall AVR procedural time. The rapid deployment delivery system is based on a flexible, low profile base that is designed to assist access and visibility through smaller incisions, thus improving safety and outcomes and leading to shorter recovery times.


The Carpentier-Edwards Perimount heart valve is designed with an incomplete supra-annular configuration with an intra-annular component. It is constructed of an Elgiloy stent at the orifice and commissures for flexibility. The leaflets are produced by computer-aided design for optimal leaflet-to-stent matching, using tissue deflection testing that enables the leaflets to be matched accurately. The pericardium is fixed by a stress-free process using glutaraldehyde. The Edwards Intuity Elite Valve System is a product of Edwards Lifesciences (Irvine, CA, USA), and has received the European Community CE marking of approval.

“We're encouraged by the introduction of heart valve technologies that are developed to facilitate a minimally invasive approach for the improved treatment of patients with aortic valve disease,” said Prof. Michael Borger, MD, PhD, of the Leipzig Heart Center (Germany). “Our experience with the Edwards Intuity platform has shown the ability to implant the valve through smaller incisions, with significantly reduced cross-clamp time and improved hemodynamics. This less-invasive, more efficient surgical approach should benefit patients during and after their procedure.”

“We've enhanced the Edwards Intuity design to further meet the needs of patients, physicians and hospitals with a valve and procedure that can be readily incorporated into the surgeon's treatment offerings,” said Donald E. Bobo, Jr., vice president of heart valve therapy at Edwards Lifesciences. “We believe the Edwards Intuity platform can greatly expand the population of patients who receive the less-invasive approach with important clinical and cost benefits.”

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