Cardiac Surgery

Cardiothoracic surgery includes coronary artery bypass surgery (CABG), heart valve repair or replacement, left ventricular assist device (LVAD) placement, heart transplant, assisting in minimally invasive transcatheter valve structural heart procedures such as TAVR, left atrial appendage (LAA) occlusion, septal myectomy, surgical ablation for arrhythmias, and reconstruction of the heart in congenial heart disease cases. 

The Tria surgical mitral valve is built using LifePolymer, a proprietary material that does not include animal tissue. Both the frame of the valve and its leaflets are generated by computer to match each patient’s native mitral valve. According to Foldax, this new-look polymer reduces the long-term risk of valve calcification, and patients should be able to bounce back after surgery without requiring the long-time use of anticoagulants.

New-look polymer mitral valve linked to positive outcomes 30 days after surgery

The new surgical valve from Foldax was designed to limit calcification and make it so patients do not require long-term anticoagulant therapy following treatment. 

Medtronic TAVR valves at heart of multiple sessions during New York cardiology conference

Medtronic’s TAVR technology received a significant amount of attention during the very first New York Valves conference in New York City. Research focused on patients with small annuli as well as how five-year outcomes compare to surgery. 

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Cardiologists ID signs of widespread heart disease in ancient mummies

Researchers evaluated vascular samples from more than 200 mummies, presenting their findings in European Heart Journal.

Transcatheter mitral valve interventions linked to lower stroke risk than surgery

Researchers performed a new meta-analysis of data from more than 51,000 patients. They examined a wide range of outcomes that also included AFib and all-cause mortality.

Cardiologist heart

Cardiology salaries are No. 7 among all specialties—thoracic and vascular surgery also make top 10

Physician compensation in the United States is up 6% compared to the previous year, according to a new report. It only increased by 3.9% in cardiology, however, suggesting the specialty is slightly behind the curve.

doctor examines patient data on their tablet

AVR for moderate AS: New 10-year data highlight clear benefits of TAVR, surgery

New research out of Cleveland Clinic explored long-term outcomes among patients with moderate aortic stenosis who were treated with TAVR, SAVR or clinical surveillance. TAVR and SAVR were both associated with clear improvements compared to surveillance alone. 

Women remain underrepresented in revascularization trials—can cardiology leaders reverse that trend?

“If together we do not just hope for, but demand, adequate representation as a necessary criterion for high-quality studies worthy of adoption into practice, we will have a real shot at achieving true equity in our trials," cardiologists said in a new commentary.

Cardiologist Heart Doctor Tablet Technology

TAVR, SAVR linked to comparable long-term outcomes, new meta-analysis confirms

Researchers tracked data from more than 7,500 patients, sharing their findings at EuroPCR 2024 in Paris and in JSCAI.

Around the web

Ron Blankstein, MD, professor of radiology, Harvard Medical School, explains the use of artificial intelligence to detect heart disease in non-cardiac CT exams.

Eleven medical societies have signed on to a consensus statement aimed at standardizing imaging for suspected cardiovascular infections.

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