The first robotic heart surgery of its kind | Off-label TAVR for native AR | Clopidogrel vs. aspirin for different risk groups

The entire robotic procedure was performed through one small incision. Surgeons originally recommended the 73-year-old patient undergo open-heart surgery, but she requested a less invasive alternative. 

Targeting aortic regurgitation with TAVR valves built to treat aortic stenosis may be the only option a cardiologist has—but valves designed specifically to treat AR are linked to much better outcomes, according to a new meta-analysis. Edwards Lifesciences recently acquired the two companies at the center of this study, JenaValve and JC Medical.

As more high-risk patients undergo PCI, what is the best antiplatelet strategy following an initial event-free period of DAPT? Does it change after complex PCI? Researchers aimed to answer these questions, and many others, with new findings published in JAMA Cardiology.

Intravascular lithotripsy is still a safe and effective frontline preparation tool when PCI patients present with calcified nodules, a new two-year study confirmed. Researchers focused on stent expansion and luminal gain, among other key data points.

TAVR is a go-to treatment for symptomatic severe aortic stenosis in much of the world, thanks in large part to the hard work of research teams that never stop looking for new, innovative ways to make the technology more effective.

One study presented during the three-day conference focused on the potential benefits of an optimized TAVR pathway. Another study, meanwhile, tracked changes in paravalvular leak severity over time.

Martha Gulati, MD, spoke to Cardiovascular Business at AHA Scientific Sessions 2024 about key developments in obesity treatment and CVD prevention.

Ultromics designed EchoGo Amyloidosis to evaluate routine echocardiogram results for signs of cardiac amyloidosis. It received the FDA's breakthrough device designation back in 2023.

PCI can be more challenging in high-risk patients presenting with diabetes and ACS. IVUS guidance was associated with improved outcomes among these patients compared to angiography guidance alone. 

Given the rapid proliferation of AI-equipped medical devices across U.S. healthcare, unintended effects should surprise no one. 

AI has shown great promise for improving early detection of breast cancer, but many algorithms are hindered by a lack of training on diverse datasets.