Dr. Sanchez Shares Expertise in Structural Heart Procedures
News related to:Piedmont Atlanta Hospital · 3 min read
ATLANTA, September 28, 2026 /CourierPR/ -- Dr. Carlos E. Sanchez, a renowned interventional cardiologist, has joined the faculty for a physician education program at Piedmont Atlanta Hospital, which will focus on transcatheter tricuspid valve replacement (TTVR) using the EVOQUE system and intracardiac echocardiography (ICE) for intraprocedural imaging. The two-day program, scheduled for September 28-29, 2026, will take place at Piedmont Atlanta Hospital and is designed to educate visiting physicians on the latest techniques and procedures in structural heart interventions.
Dr. Sanchez will share his extensive clinical experience with the adoption of three-dimensional intracardiac echocardiography (3D ICE) for structural heart interventions, including procedural workflow, imaging considerations, and lessons learned from his own practice. On September 29, approximately six EVOQUE procedures using ICE are expected to be livestreamed from the cardiac catheterization laboratory to visiting physicians in an auditorium. During the live cases, Dr. Sanchez and fellow faculty will lead educational discussions surrounding procedural technique, imaging, ICE adoption, and workflow.
The program will begin on September 28 with a peer-to-peer faculty discussion, where Dr. Sanchez and other faculty members will discuss their experience incorporating ICE, including potential benefits, technical considerations, challenges, and lessons learned during adoption. Educational objectives include understanding the role of ICE during EVOQUE procedures, examining procedural planning and execution, reviewing catheterization laboratory considerations, and establishing learning objectives for the following day's cases.
On September 29, the Piedmont team will perform live procedures while faculty lead educational discussions for participating physicians. Faculty will discuss procedural and imaging considerations as the cases progress and answer questions from attendees. The adoption of complex structural heart procedures requires collaboration among interventional cardiologists, cardiac surgeons, imaging specialists, anesthesiologists, nurses, technologists, and other members of the multidisciplinary heart team. Live-case programs and peer-to-peer education provide opportunities for physicians and heart teams to observe techniques, discuss procedural decision-making, and share experience with emerging technologies and workflows.
Transcatheter tricuspid valve replacement (TTVR) is a catheter-based approach to replacing a diseased tricuspid valve without traditional open-heart surgery. In February 2024, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved the Edwards EVOQUE Tricuspid Valve Replacement System for patients with symptomatic severe tricuspid regurgitation despite optimal medical therapy when tricuspid valve replacement is considered appropriate by a multidisciplinary heart team.
Intracardiac echocardiography (ICE) uses an ultrasound catheter positioned inside the heart to provide real-time imaging during cardiovascular procedures. The use of advanced ICE, including three-dimensional ICE, is an evolving imaging strategy for complex structural heart interventions and may allow heart teams to modify traditional procedural imaging and workflow. Advanced 3D ICE can provide real-time intraprocedural visualization of the tricuspid valve and surrounding cardiac structures from within the heart. In appropriately selected patients, an ICE-guided strategy can allow TTVR to be performed under conscious sedation without reliance on transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) and general anesthesia, thereby avoiding the additional risks and procedural requirements associated with those approaches.
Dr. Sanchez has participated in national and international scientific meetings and physician education programs focused on structural heart interventions and advanced intracardiac imaging. His clinical and academic work focuses on transcatheter valve interventions and advanced intracardiac imaging. He has served as a principal investigator in clinical trials and has contributed to peer-reviewed publications, book chapters, physician education programs, and presentations at national and international scientific meetings. Outside of his clinical practice, Dr. Sanchez is an entrepreneur and co-founder of The Luxe MedSpa, a physician-led wellness center, and Calmara, a functional energy beverage company. These ventures are independent of his hospital-based clinical practice.
The physician education program at Piedmont Atlanta Hospital is designed to provide an opportunity for exchange of techniques, teaching, and learning alongside other experienced heart teams. The goal is to share what has been learned using 3D ICE in complex structural heart interventions while also bringing back insights from other programs that can help improve patient care.