Every year, the Transcatheter Cardiovascular Therapeutics (TCT) conference, hosted by The Cardiovascular Research Foundation, brings together a multidisciplinary audience of cardiologists, imaging specialists, cardiac and vascular surgeons, heart failure specialists, and researchers for a series of expert-led sessions that showcase interactive workshops, live cases, groundbreaking research, and more in the field of interventional cardiology.
TCT founder Martin Leon, M.D., chief innovation officer and director of the Cardiovascular Data Science Center at NewYork-Presbyterian and Columbia, served as a program director, along with NewYork-Presbyterian and Columbia interventional cardiologists Ajay J. Kirtane, M.D., director of the interventional cardiovascular care program; and Sahil A. Parikh, M.D., director of interventional cardiology vascular and endovascular services. NewYork-Presbyterian physicians from Columbia and Weill Cornell Medicine who served on program development committees included:
TCT 2025 Highlights
Several clinical trials and research studies led by NewYork-Presbyterian physician-scientists were featured in late-breaking sessions. Among them were:
- The LIFE-BTK Trial: Dr. Parikh presented three-year findings from the LIFE-BTK trial, which evaluates a novel drug-eluting resorbable scaffold for patients with chronic below-the-knee (BTK) limb-threatened ischemia (CLTI). The results showed that even though the scaffold had mostly dissolved at year three, patients still experienced fewer repeat interventions than for percutaneous transluminal angioplasty, providing evidence for the technology’s durability.
- The Short-CUT trial: Under study chair Dr. Kirtane, Columbia was one of the leading enrolling sites for the Short-CUT trial, which compares two innovative techniques for treating patients with calcified coronary arteries before stent placement: intravascular lithotripsy (IVL), which uses sonic pressure waves to safely fracture calcium, and cutting balloon angioplasty (CB), which uses tiny blades to score the vessel. The results showed that CB was non-inferior to IVL in short-term stent outcomes.
- The PREVUE-VALVE study: The PREVUE-VALVE study, with Michael Brener, M.D., as first author, is the first large-scale effort to measure how common valvular heart disease (VHD) truly is among older Americans. The results revealed that at least 10 million older Americans — with nearly two-thirds of them women — have mild or greater valvular heart disease. With many cases going undiagnosed until the disease is advanced, the study aims to provide a clearer picture of VHD prevalence, develop better tools for early detection, and guide more timely treatment.
- PARTNER 3 trial: Under the leadership of Dr. Leon and his colleagues, NewYork-Presbyterian and Columbia has played a central role in this landmark study comparing transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) with surgical aortic valve replacement (SAVR) in low-risk patients. New seven-year follow-up data was presented that reinforces previous results showing patients with severe aortic stenosis continue to have similar outcomes whether they undergo TAVR or SAVR.
Dr. Sahil Parikh providing three-year updates on the LIFE-BTK trial during a late-breaking clinical science session at TCT 2025.
Other TCT 2025 Presentation Highlights
- A live case by Dr. McEntegart on managing complex percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) in cardiogenic shock with mechanical circulatory support;
- Pre-recorded live cases from Dr. Parikh and Dr. Sethi highlighting complex interventional techniques for peripheral artery disease;
- Brian DeRubertis, M.D., discussed prepping the superficial femoral artery with IVL versus atherectomy;
- Pierre Elias, M.D., presented the CACTUS pilot study, which uses artificial intelligence to improve structural heart disease diagnoses in the emergency department;
- Dr. Feldman provided tips for managing acute thrombotic occlusions during a keynote presentation in a session on acute coronary syndromes; and
- Nir Uriel, M.D., discussed a first-in-human study of a novel implantable pressure sensor in LVAD patients.
To learn more about the presentations, case studies, and late-breaking research from this year’s conference, visit TCT Conference online.
