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The Fastwave Sola laser IVL system energy burst to break up coronary calcium.

FastWave Medical's laser intravascular lithotripsy system successfully fractured calcified coronary artery lesions in 30 patients.

Surgery

The American Heart Association, American College of Cardiology and other U.S. medical societies have collaborated on new recommendations that cover everything from preoperative patient evaluations to postoperative care. 

Rural America is facing a rising physician staffing shortage. About 60% of respondents said losing local cardiology access would have significant consequences, and 40% said patients already have a significant unmet need for cardiac care. Family medicine capacity was the biggest insufficient area, where staffing levels were fragile according to 68% of respondents. Other areas of concern were internal medicine (76%), general surgery (61%) and OB/GYN (61%), according to a 2026 MGMA survey.

A new survey put a spotlight on the staffing issues rural cardiology practices and health systems face on a daily basis. 

Pills

This update comes just months after 11,000 bottles of the same drug were recalled due to a failed test. The FDA has classified this as a Class II recall. 

Researchers with the University of Arizona College of Medicine – Tucson are hoping a small peptide born in a laboratory can be a game-changer for the treatment of patients presenting with vascular dementia.

“Patients are in desperate need of an effective treatment, and we are doing everything we can to help find that treatment,” one scientist explained. “The greatest reward would be to see a safe and effective treatment for people who currently have very few options.”

The DaVinci robotic surgical system has been very successful in expanding the adoption of less invasive robotic surgical techniques. The FDA is now developing new standards for how it will review these systems as more come up for regulatory review.

The 50-page document outlines what the FDA would like to see as vendors submit their technologies for regulatory review. It covers robotic systems of all types, including those used for various cardiac procedures.