FDA details device recalls | A new technique for robotic AVR | CABG or PCI? | Surgeon pay takes a hit

Edwards Lifesciences has recalled more than 61,000 medical devices due to the risk of a small piece of wire becoming exposed. No patient injuries have been reported at this time.

The minimally invasive operation, known as AVATAR, is performed through a small incision in the patient’s neck.

John Puskas, MD, chief of cardiothoracic surgery at Emory University Hospital Midtown, noted that both treatment options have their own benefits. It often depends on the patient's age and comorbidities, though there are other factors to consider as well. 

“This innovation was born out of necessity,” one surgeon explained. “We were determined to find a way to help the smallest and sickest children who previously had no access to DCD heart donation.” 

Carmat is working to overcome financial struggles that forced it to suspend new device implants through the end of August. Even with its future in limbo, the company remains focused on moving forward.

Competition was once fierce between interventional cardiologists and cardiac surgeons, but that has changed over the years. "It is absolutely a partnership," one veteran surgeon told Cardiovascular Business. 

Cardiologist compensation in the United States is experiencing slow, but steady growth. How does it compare to other specialties? 

The patient, 61, had been bedridden for months due to end-stage heart failure and was not eligible for a heart transplant.

When older patients undergo SAVR with concomitant procedures, it increases their short- and long-term risks of mortality. Should this influence care teams to consider more transcatheter treatments?