Researchers from the Montpellier Laboratory of Informatics, Robotics and Microelectronics in Montpellier Cedex, France, have developed the thin-plate spline deformable 3D computerized model that enables a robotic arm to operate on a beating heart during surgery, a study published Dec.15 in the International Journal of Robotics Research found.

In previous research, investigators have found a direct correlation between hospital primary angioplasty volume and mortality rates in STEMI patients, resulting in a volume criteria for provider settings. However, Deepak L. Bhatt, MD, told Cardiovascular Business News that based on the findings of a recent JAMA study, the volume surrogate should be reconsidered as basis for hospital quality.

The APPOSITION II clinical study, designed to compare the effectiveness of the Stentys self-expanding stent and a conventional balloon-expandable stent in acute MI patients, has enrolled its first participant, according to medical device provider Stentys.

By 2034, the number of people diagnosed with diabetes is estimated to reach 44.1 million, while the costs associated with the disease could skyrocket to $336 billion from the current $113 billion, according to research published in the December issue of Diabetes Care.

Even though hospitals that perform a higher number of angioplasties are more likely to follow evidence-based guidelines and have shorter times to the angioplasty procedure, there appears to be no significant difference in outcomes such as length of hospital stay or risk of death, according to registry findings published in the Nov. 25 issue of Journal of the American Medical Association.

The FDA is requiring a labeling change to Sanofi-Aventis and Bristol-Myers Squibbs blockbuster anti-bloodclotting drug clopidogrel (Plavix) to indicate that it should not be used with AstraZenecas proton pump inhibitor (PPI) omeprazole (Prilosec/Prilosec OTC) and some other acid-reducing drugs.

Vascular Solutions has launched its GuideLiner catheter to provide better guided admittance to distinct regions of the coronary and peripheral vasculature during the intubation period for coronary interventions.

Two sets of fast-tracked clinical guidelines, issued today at the AHA conference in Orlando, Fla., focus on a community-wide collaboration of emergency services for the management of STEMI patients and present new treatment options for PCI.