The major scientific meetings often bill their late-breaking clinical trials as potentially practice-changing revelations. They certainly add insight, even when questions linger.

Cardiovascular Business met with Ajay J. Kirtane, MD, SM, from the Center for Interventional Vascular Therapy and chief academic officer at Columbia University Medical Center in New York City, on March 16, the closing day of the American College of Cardiology scientific session. Here is what he offered as highlights.

When comparing transcatheter and surgical aortic valve replacements, findings presented at the American College of Cardiology scientific sessions noted that there were no differences in death, stroke, or MI at one year. However, there were some differences in outcomes, leaving neither on top.

The FDA issued a class 1 recall on Medtronic’s 10 French FlexCath Select Steerable Sheath, citing problems that may occur with the device outside a patient’s body.

The FDA approved Boston Scientific’s Emblem subcutaneous implantable defibrillator (S-ICD) system, which is expected to be available in the U.S. by the third quarter of this year.

Analyzing the link between obesity and arrhythmia, LEGACY confirmed that among obese patients, weight loss greatly influenced freedom from atrial fibrillation, particularly among those who lost weight and maintained it. However, more than 5 percent fluctuation in weight over one year increased patient risks.

Performing an ablation along with mitral valve surgery is more likely to keep cardiac patients free of persistent atrial fibrillation (AF) at one year, according to results unveiled March 16 at the American College of Cardiology scientific session. But it also increased the risk of needing a pacemaker.

Contrary to previous gains with new interventional technology, data suggest that second-generation, everolimus-eluting stents have similar rates of death as CABG. Moreover, PCI with these stents had increased rates of MI and repeat revascularization but a lower rate of stroke.