New research from the University of Leicester in the United Kingdom suggests that a test to check if patients with aortic stenosis need open heart surgery could be sending twice as many people into an unnecessary procedure, which can be costly and dangerous.

During 10 years of follow-up, the rates of major adverse cardiac events and stent thrombosis were similar among patients who received sirolimus-eluting stents and those who received paclitaxel-eluting stents, according to an analysis of a randomized trial.

Abiomed announced on Feb. 23 that the 50,000th patient in the U.S. was recently treated with the company’s Impella line of heart pumps.

An analysis of Medicare beneficiaries found that a transradial intervention during PCI was $916 cheaper and associated with less bleeding, fewer vascular complications and less transfusions than a transfemoral intervention.

Medinol hired Harvey J. Berger, MD, as executive chairman of the company’s operations in the U.S.

The FDA approved the Pro-Kinetic energy cobalt chromium coronary stent system for patients with blockages in their coronary arteries.

PRO-Kinetic Energy Cobalt Chromium (CoCr) Coronary Stent System from BIOTRONIK gained FDA approval utilizing results from the BIOHELIX-I clinical study. This stent, which has already been used to treat more than 650,000 patients worldwide, is now available in the US.

Biosensors International Group announced on Feb. 15 that the first patient had enrolled in a pivotal clinical trial evaluating the company’s BioFreedom polymer-free drug-coated stent.