CMS is accepting public comments on the topic for a period of 30 days. Recor Medical and Medtronic have both shared statements in support of the potential policy shift.

Medtronic entered into an exclusive U.S. distribution agreement with Contego Medical for carotid and peripheral vascular disease revascularization products. The agreement includes an option to acquire the full company at a later date. 

CABG was associated with a 41% lower risk of long-term mortality than PCI in a new study of more than 57,000 patients. The full analysis was published in European Heart Journal.

Boston Scientific has agreed to acquire Bolt Medical, a California-based medical device company focused on developing new intravascular lithotripsy technologies. The news comes less than one year after Johnson & Johnson acquired IVL pioneers Shockwave Medical for $13 billion.

The new atrial shunt from Alleviant Medical was designed to treat heart failure without leaving a permanent implant behind. The FDA granted the technology its breakthrough device designation and approved additional research. 

Radial access is already the primary choice for many cardiologists performing PCI due to a lower risk of complications. The same appears to be true for secondary access during TAVR.

The FDA-approved Harmony TPVR system is now available to patients across the EU. Nina Goodheart, president of Medtronic’s structural heart and aortic business, described the news as a "significant milestone."

A care team in Illinois has performed the first heart procedure of its kind on a two-year-old patient diagnosed with Brugada syndrome.