Interventional Cardiology

This cardiac subspecialty uses minimally invasive, catheter-based technologies in a cath lab to diagnose and treat coronary artery disease (CAD). The main focus in on percutaneous coronary interventions (PCI) to revascularize patients with CAD that is causing blockages resulting in ischemia or myocardial infarction. PCI mainly consists of angioplasty and implanting stents. Interventional cardiology has greatly expanded in scope over recent years to include a number of transcatheter structural heart interventions.

Cardiologists reflect on developing primary PCI in face of criticism and pushback
SCAI celebrated cardiologists William W. O'Neill, MD, and Cindy L. Grines, MD, for the important roles they played in the development of primary PCI. “It was challenging,” Grines explained. “We had the pharmaceutical industry that was anti-primary angioplasty and we had a lot of our own colleagues that were anti-primary angioplasty."
How TAVR valve choice impacts outcomes when treating type 1 bicuspid AS
Self-expanding and balloon-expandable TAVR valves are associated with comparable success rates and one-year outcomes when treating type 1 bicuspid aortic stenosis. However, each valve type comes with its own advantages and disadvantages.
IVUS-guided PCI reduces risks in patients with diabetes
PCI can be more challenging in high-risk patients presenting with diabetes and ACS. IVUS guidance was associated with improved outcomes among these patients compared to angiography guidance alone.
Medtronic using AI to identify more TAVR patients in need
Medtronic has launched new research into AI's potential to identify patients with severe aortic stenosis and other worrying symptoms. The company hopes to overcome longstanding health disparities and reach individuals who may otherwise go untreated.
SAVR linked to higher 10-year survival rate than TAVR for low-risk patients
TAVR patients in this study were treated with early-generation devices that have since been updated, but researchers still believe their data are relevant to today's care teams.

Bob White Named Executive Vice President and President of Medtronic's Minimally Invasive Therapies Group; Chris Lee to Assume Leadership of Medtronic's Asia Pacific Region

Medtronic plc (NYSE: MDT) announced today that Bob White, previously Senior Vice President and President of Medtronic's Asia Pacific (APAC) Region, has been named Executive Vice President and President of Medtronic's Minimally Invasive Therapies Group (MITG). In addition, the company announced that Chris Lee, Senior Vice President and President of Medtronic's Greater China Region, will assume the position of APAC Region President.

December 19, 2017

ORBITA investigators publish response to critics

The two lead investigators of ORBITA have published a comprehensive response to criticisms of their provocative trial.

December 12, 2017

Corindus Partners with Houston Methodist DeBakey Heart & Vascular Center to Launch Premier Robotic Training Site for Physicians

Corindus Vascular Robotics, Inc. [NYSE American: CVRS], a leading developer of precision vascular robotics, announced today that Houston Methodist DeBakey Heart & Vascular Center has launched the first vascular robotic program in the Houston area with the installation of two CorPath® GRX Systems. In addition and as part of the program launch, Corindus will partner with Houston Methodist to develop a Global Center of Excellence that will seek to advance clinical research on robotics and to train interventional cardiologists on robotic-assisted percutaneous coronary interventions (PCI).

December 1, 2017

Cordis and Medinol Announce FDA Approval of the Innovative EluNIR™ Drug-Eluting Stent System

DUBLIN, Ohio, November 30, 2017 — Cordis, a Cardinal Health company, and Medinol today announced United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval of the EluNIR™ drug-eluting stent (DES) for the treatment of patients with narrowing or blockages to their coronary arteries.

November 30, 2017

Hospitals ranked in the top 50 for cardiology and heart surgery by U.S. News and World Report appear no better at performing PCI than unranked hospitals, according to an analysis of more than 500,000 procedures performed at 654 hospitals.

November 13, 2017

Studies in JACC show progress for PCI of CTOs

PCI of chronic total occlusions (CTOs) can be safely performed by expert operators and provides significant benefit to patients with reduced left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) or diabetes, according to a series of studies published Nov. 13 in JACC: Cardiovascular Interventions.

November 9, 2017

Bioresorbable scaffold discontinuity a major mechanism of very late thrombosis

Scaffold discontinuity, malapposition and neoatherosclerosis were found to be the leading mechanisms behind very late scaffold thrombosis (VLScT) in cardiac patients implanted with bioresorbable devices, investigators from the INVEST registry have reported.

November 3, 2017

TCT 2017: Could doctors perform robot-assisted PCI over long distances?

Recent studies have shown robotic PCI to be a feasible way to treat coronary artery disease. But at the annual Transcatheter Cardiovascular Therapeutics (TCT) conference Oct. 30, Ryan D. Madder, MD, took the conversation a step further: Will it eventually be possible to perform “tele-stenting” over long distances?

November 3, 2017

Around the web

Health Imaging

Use of AI opportunistic screening in CT for cardiovascular disease

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

Health Imaging

New imaging protocols proposed to curb rise of cardiovascular infections

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

Interventional Cardiology

Cardiologists reflect on developing primary PCI in face of criticism and pushback

How TAVR valve choice impacts outcomes when treating type 1 bicuspid AS

IVUS-guided PCI reduces risks in patients with diabetes

Medtronic using AI to identify more TAVR patients in need

SAVR linked to higher 10-year survival rate than TAVR for low-risk patients

Around the web