SAN FRANCISCOIn a head-to-head comparison, the Resolute zotarolimus-eluting stent (Medtronic) and Xience V everolimus-eluting stent (Abbott Vascular) performed almost identically in terms of safety and efficacy for treating patients with complex lesions,  according to data from the TWENTE trial presented at a late breaking clinical trial session Nov. 11 at this years Transcatheter Cardiovascular Therapeutics (TCT) conference.

SAN FRANCISCOThe cost effectiveness of transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) compared with surgical aortic valve replacement depends on whether TAVI is performed via the femoral artery or transapically, through a small incision in the chest, according to a late-breaking clinical trial that evaluated the data from Cohort A of PARTNER, presented Nov. 10 at the Transcatheter Cardiovascular Therapeutics (TCT) conference.

SAN FRANCISCOCoronary thrombectomy as an adjunct to PCI was not associated with a significant reduction in infarct size compared with a control group but it was associated with a significantly higher rate of ST-segment elevation resolution, Anna Sonia Petronio, MD, of the cardiothoracic and vascular department at the University of Pisa, Italy, said Nov. 10 at the 2011 Transcatheter Cardiovascular Therapeutics' late-breaking clinical trial press conference.

SAN FRANCISCOThe 23rd annual Transcatheter Cardiovascular Therapeutics conference was in full swing on Nov. 9, but David J. Cohen, MD, already had his eyes on the 2012 event. In a presentation on the cost-effectiveness of PCI compared with CABG, he said that results favored bypass surgery, especially when looking at high-risk patients with multivessel acute coronary syndromes. He proposed that five-year results from the SYNTAX trial, due in 2012, will show an even stronger advantage for CABG.

SAN FRANCISCOWhen diabetic patients were treated with either the Resolute zotarolimus-eluting stent or Xience V everolimus-eluting stent,  they saw similar one-year outcomes, Sigmund Silber, MD, director of the Heart Centre at the Isar in Munich, presented Nov. 8 at the 23rd annual Transcatheter Cardiovascular Therapeutics (TCT) conference in San Francisco. Additionally, even in non-insulin dependent diabetes patients treated with the Resolute stent, clinical outcomes were similar to those outcomes seen in the non-diabetic population.

SAN FRANCISCOPatients with extensive coronary artery disease and a reduced left ventricular function who undergo PCI benefit from extensive revascularization. Additionally, patients who undergo extensive revascularization with the Impella device see substantially reduced 90-day event rates when compared with intra-aortic balloon pumps, Jeffrey J. Popma, MD, director of interventional cardiology at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston, said during a Nov. 8 presentation at the 23rd annual Transcatheter Cardiovascular Therapeutics (TCT) conference.

SAN ANTONIOWhen Hospital Sisters Health System, a 13-hospital system in Wisconsin and Illinois, implemented computerized physician order entry (CPOE) and EHR, everything seemed finefor a little while. Just a couple of months after the installation, William Montgomery, CIO, received a letter from the physicians listing 38 issues that they wanted fixed within two weeks.

Two million neurons die per every minute that a stroke goes untreated, making rapid diagnosis and treatment crucial for the best outcomes. However, 45 percent of Americans live more than 60 minutes away from a primary stroke center. Enter telemedicine: telestroke networks have sprung up across the U.S., and are rapidly expanding, delivering revenue gains and improving patient outcomes.