Historic hospital pauses transplant program | FDA announces new recall | A heart pump for children | ECMO pioneer remembered

No other heart or transplant services at the nonprofit hospital should be impacted by this temporary shift in care. 

The WVU Heart and Vascular Institute is hosting a two-day symposium focused on exploring the benefits and long-term potential of robotic aortic valve replacement. Fans of the procedure say it represents a safe, effective alternative to TAVR and SAVR in patients with severe aortic stenosis. 

There is a risk of certain pericardial patches not being as strong or durable as needed. Customers are urged to identify, quarantine and replace these devices.

The technology, developed by New Jersey-based Integra LifeSciences, is already approved for several other specialties, including neurosurgery and orthopedic surgery. 

The device, currently just a prototype, could be the first of its kind to gain FDA approval.

Robert H. Bartlett, MD, was a pioneer surgeon who helped develop the world's first ECMO technology. He died at the age of 86 following a long illness. 

GenesisX represents the company’s most accessible robotic system to date. It requires no room shielding or structural anchoring, for example, and the size has been significantly reduced.

Are too many low-risk patients with severe AS undergoing TAVR instead of SAVR? According to one group of clinicians, "a significant public health concern may be looming."