A recent study found noninvasive ultrasound therapy could be a treatment option for some patients who cannot undergo surgical or transcatheter valve replacement.
The study, published in The Lancet, used NIUT on 40 patients with severe symptomatic aortic stenosis between March 2019 and May 2022. Patients were from France, the Netherlands or Serbia. Patients had severe comorbidities such as coronary artery disease (45%) and congestive heart failure (30%) and had a mean Society of Thoracic Surgeons score of 5.6%.
Researchers found that after six months, patients had a mean aortic valve area increase by 10%, a mean pressure gradient decreased by 7% and improved New York Heart Association scores of 96%. The study reported no patient deaths after 30 days and no life-threatening or cerebrovascular adverse events.