Peripheral artery disease is under scrutiny as the number of endovascular interventions has soared. In a field where clinical evidence is sparse, experts are asking how the financial and societal costs of revascularization compare with amputating the problem and whether early detection and treatment could save lives, limbs and perhaps healthcare dollars.

Trial results on same-day discharge for elective implantable cardioverter-defibrillator procedures may reassure centers, but whether the approach lowers cost is anyone’s guess.

A single-arm study found that all of the patients with moderate or severely calcified peripheral lesions who received the lithoplasty system achieved the primary efficacy endpoint of procedural success.

Medtronic announced new data, demonstrating safety and efficacy at three years in acute complicated Type B aortic dissection patients treated with the Valiant Captivia Thoracic Stent Graft System. Ali Azizzadeh, MD, FACS, University of Texas Health Science Center in Texas presented the new clinical data in a late-breaking trial session at Vascular Interventional Advances (VIVA) 2016.

Shockwave Medical, a pioneer in the treatment of calcified cardiovascular disease, today announced clearance from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) of the Lithoplasty System for the treatment of calcified plaque in patients with peripheral artery disease (PAD).

Pope Francis spoke at the European Society of Cardiology Congress in Rome, Italy and encouraged cardiologists to treat the weak and poor, the Catholic News Agency reports.

Viva Physicians, a non-profit organization devoted to vascular interventions and medicine, announced the late-breaking clinical trials for its annual conference. The meeting will take place from September 18 to 22 in Las Vegas at the Wynn resort and casino.

Three physicians were named finalists for the 10th annual Toshiba Young Investigators Awards, according to an announcement from the Society of Cardiovascular Computed Tomography (SCCT).