Sunday, March 14, 8:39 AM - 8:52 AM   In this state-of-the-art imaging symposium, Joao A. Lima, MD, from John Hopkins University will elucidate how cardiac MR can help EPs before and after procedures. Lima penned a state-of-the-art paper on this topic back in 2004 in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology. Since the publication of that article, many technological advances have taken place regarding MRI and Lima has been at the forefront of that field. Attendees will surely learn how to best use cardiac MR to enhance procedural success and patient safety. 

March 14, Sunday 8:00 AM to 9:30 AM   This session might be one of the more exciting gatherings of electrophysiologists at ACC.10. It will pit experts against experts, debating the pros and cons of particular therapies on particular patients. Are there specific benefits of catheter ablation relative to drug therapy for some patients? How can EPs identify and distinguish which patients with paroxysmal atrial fibrillation (AF) are optimal candidates for ablation or drug therapy? While these questions may not be resolved, they will be thoroughly discussed, with antagonist and protagonist case witnesses lending their support. In addition, the audience can join the fun via the audience response system.

The field of electrophysiology (EP), particularly pertaining to ablations, has been reported to be growing faster than coronary interventions, and there are no signs that it will slow down. While the volume of coronary cath procedures has remained somewhat flat over the past year, EP labs have been expanding and adding new technology. For this reason alone, it behooves attendees at ACC.10, which begins on Saturday, March 13, to take in some of the exciting EP lectures being presented at the conference.   One of the biggest topics in EP is whether transcatheter ablation should be the first-line treatment over anti-arrhythmic drugs in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF). First results of the pilot CABANA study, being released in a late-breaking clinical trial session, could potentially indicate a new direction for this debate (see below for session details).READ MORE

The use of CT colonography is usefuland safefor a preoperative exam of the proximal colon in patients who have been treated with metallic stents due to colon obstruction caused by colorectal cancer, according to a study published in the March issue of Radiology.

A standard test of implantable cardioverter-defibrillators (ICDs) is linked to significant thought-processing problems that improve for most patients within a year after the device is inserted, according to a study published in the March 2 issue of Circulation: Arrhythmia and Electrophysiology.

Middle age introduces itself in many ways; one is atrial fibrillation (AF). My onset of AF seems to have coincided with a mountain bike accident in the woods of North Carolina that resulted in some cracked ribs.

Hansen Medical, a developer of medical robotics and robotic technology for 3D control of catheter movement, has reported its financial results for the fourth quarter and full-year, which ended Dec. 31, 2009.

Medical robotics technology developer Hansen Medical has selected Peter Osborne to serve as its interim chief financial officer (CFO) after Steve Van Dick resigned from the position.