Transfemoral TAVR is not always a viable option. In those instances, the two most effective alternatives are transcarotid access and transcaval access, according to a new SCAI expert consensus statement.

Cardiologist Aakriti Gupta, MD, MSc, spoke to Cardiovascular Business about the latest data and trends associated with using cerebral embolic protection devices during TAVR to lower the risk of stroke.

Lipoprotein (a) research is on the rise in recent years. Deepak Bhatt, MD, director of Mount Sinai Fuster Heart Hospital, explains why this trend is so important.

These safety issues have been linked to more than 800 injuries and two deaths. It is possible, the FDA warned, that some patients may require a device to be removed and replaced. 

The global medtech company is also looking to expand its organ transplant and ECMO portfolios.

These findings show that opportunistic imaging could go a long way toward making more patients aware of the cardiovascular risks they face—all without requiring additional scans to be performed. 

No devices need to be returned at this time. However, the FDA warned, using these heart pumps without reviewing the updated instructions could result in "serious injury or death.” 

A trio of leading voices in cardiology reviewed years of data while considering their proposal. The choice between TAVR and SAVR, they added, should be made on a case-by-case basis.