The Center for Healthcare Quality and Payment Reform believes many physicians participating in the new Ambulatory Specialty Model could end up experiencing a pay cut. In addition, it could drive some specialists to stop treating heart failure patients altogether.

The FDA previously warned that certain Impella heart pump controllers may need hardware, firmware and/or software updates. The agency has now categorized the issue as a Class I recall. The devices should be removed from where they are used or sold until they can be serviced, but they can still be used if necessary to ensure patients receive care.

Self-expanding valves, a history of stroke, renal dysfunction and nontransfemoral access were all linked to an increased risk of in-hospital stroke after TAVR. “Despite advances in valve design and technique, the overall stroke rate has plateaued,” researchers wrote.

Medtronic identified an issue with its CareLink SmartSync device manager providing inaccurate longevity estimates for certain leadless pacemakers. Customers can download a software update to resolve the issue going forward.

Abbott's Amplatzer Paraclose PVL Occluder is the first heart device of its kind approved by the FDA to treat paravalvular leak. The agency made its decision after reviewing data from 200 patients who had undergone aortic or mitral valve replacement surgery.

The Heart Failure Society of America has shard a new scientific statement calling for right heart failure to be recognized as its own distinct clinical syndrome instead of a secondary complication of left-sided heart disease.

According to Newsweek, 13 of the top 20 hospitals for cardiac surgery in the entire world are located in the United States. The list includes 150 hospitals in total. 

Researchers tracked years of data, noting that strokes and other neurological adverse events reduce a patient's odds of survival.  

Cleerly and Clear Heart and Lung Imaging partnered to drive a cardiac-capable mobile CT scanner across Arizona, Louisiana, Georgia and Florida. Their goals were to evaluate patients in underserved parts of the United States and collect data for an ongoing clinical trial.

The platform, which was not named, is said to be public-facing and not approved for use with healthcare data. Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center said it notified those impacted and retrained staff after discovering the incident in September.

The Colorado Springs-based imaging group and its board have agreed to settle the 1,000-person class-action challenge, days before the trial was slated to begin.