October 8, 2012 — St. Jude Medical Inc. has launched MediGuide Technology, the first 3-D navigation system intended for the evaluation of vascular and cardiac anatomy on a recorded fluoroscopic image instead of live fluoroscopy. The use of recorded images allows physicians to reduce the duration of radiation exposure during cardiovascular procedures, especially during long procedures in the electrophysiology (EP) lab.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has granted Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments (CLIA)-waived status to the Roche CoaguChek XS Plus system. The point-of-care anticoagulation monitor offers connectivity and data management tools to help healthcare professionals manage PT/INR (blood clotting time) testing. The waiver means that the monitoring technology may now be used in a broader range of clinical settings, such as labs that do not meet the requirements to perform moderate- or high-complexity testing as defined by the CLIA of 1988.
Imagine a place where doctors can tell patients in advance if cancer treatment will work for them, without going through an entire course of chemotherapy.
Providing exceptional cardiovascular care for patients to achieve the best possible outcomes is the number one goal for ...
Advocate Health Care, one of the nation's top health systems and the largest integrated health care system in the state of Illinois, and GE Healthcare, a national leader in low dose, high performance imaging, announced a joint effort to help further reduce radiation dose in computed tomography (CT). The goal is to optimize care for patients needing imaging procedures and reduce radiation where possible without adversely impacting image quality. It’s one of the first announcements of the GE Blueprint for low dose, a comprehensive campaign in which GE Healthcare is working alongside leading U.S. health systems to further reduce radiation dose in CT imaging. Leaders from Advocate and GE Healthcare unveiled the Advocate-based GE Blueprint for low dose today during an event at Advocate Lutheran General Hospital.
LipoScience Inc., a highly innovative diagnostic company that is advancing patient care by developing high value proprietary blood tests using nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) technology, announced the publication of results from a clinical study in the American Journal of Cardiology (AJC) suggesting that despite having cholesterol levels considered acceptable by today’s clinical standards, patients with Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) are at increased risk for cardiovascular disease (CVD)-related events.
The American Medical Association (AMA) Current Procedural Terminology (CPT 1) Editorial Panel has assigned Category I CPT codes specifically for bronchial thermoplasty in its recently published CPT 2013 Professional Edition. Beginning Jan. 1, 2013, physicians and hospitals will be able to seek reimbursement through two new codes to describe the bronchial thermoplasty procedure. Category I CPT procedure codes are recognized by all public and private health insurance payers in the United States.
Cardiac positron emission tomography (PET) is growing in popularity among cardiologists because it provides the ability ...
Researchers at the University of Maryland School of Medicine, who are exploring novel ways to treat serious heart problems in children, have conducted the first direct comparison of the regenerative abilities of neonatal and adult-derived human cardiac stem cells. Among their findings: cardiac stem cells (CSCs) from newborns have a three-fold ability to restore heart function to nearly normal levels compared with adult CSCs. Further, in animal models of heart attack, hearts treated with neonatal stem cells pumped stronger than those given adult cells. The study is published in the Sept. 11, 2012, issue of Circulation.
Aptus Endosystems Inc. announced it has received 510(k) clearance from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for its thoracic-length HeliFX Aortic Securement System. Similar to the original HeliFX system that was cleared in November 2011 and designed for treating abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAA), the new system consists of a longer delivery device with additional tip configurations to bring the innovative helical EndoAnchor technology to the treatment of thoracic aortic aneurysms (TAA).
This year’s European Society of Cardiology (ESC) Congress in Munich, Germany, was a stark example of exactly where the cardiovascular market space is headed. This congress fully emphasized the new and innovative technologies that are coming out on the medical device and medical technology side, while leaving the market’s pharmaceutical wing in the dust. In fact, out of the nine hours over three days and 18 seminars on cardiac therapy innovation, only one seminar, given by Amgen, spoke about a pharmaceutical interventional treatment for heart disease. Thus, if there is one message to take away from the ESC 2012 congress, it is that the pharmaceutical industry has moved away from the cardiovascular market
When performing radiofrequency (RF) ablation to treat cardiac arrhythmia, medical professionals must balance the safety ...
The National Institutes of Health (NIH)/National Cancer Institute (NCI) has awarded a five-year research project grant (R01) to identify harmonized reconstruction parameters for each currently-produced positron emission tomography (PET)/computed tomography (CT) scanner for use in clinical trials. The Society of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging’s (SNMMI) Clinical Trials Network (CTN) will serve as an administrative coordinating body for the Image Reconstruction Harmonization Grant, which was awarded in August to the Universities of Iowa, Pennsylvania, and Washington.
October 3, 2012 — Royal Philips Electronics announced it is donating the one-millionth HeartStart automated external defibrillator (AED) manufactured to Everett Mountain Rescue Unit (EMRU) of Snohomish, Wash. EMRU is a volunteer search and rescue organization serving Snohomish County, also the location of Philips’ HeartStart headquarters.
October 3, 2012 — Sharp Memorial Hospital was the first on the West Coast to participate in Medtronic's SYMPLICITY HTN-3 clinical trial in March, and is currently the leading trial site in Southern California, to test an experimental medical device that aims to lower high blood pressure by using radio frequency energy to disrupt hyperactive nerves that contribute to the condition.
Change Healthcare Cardiology Hemodynamics is an integrated hemodynamic monitoring system for monitoring vital signs and ...
October 3, 2012 — Stentys, a medical technology company commercializing the world's first and only self-apposing stent to treat acute myocardial infarction (AMI), announced today the European commercial release of an enhanced stent-delivery system for its Self-Apposing stent.
October 2, 2012 — AstraZeneca has announced the results from a sub-analysis of PLATO that evaluated the effects of age on clinical outcomes in patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS). Results of the analysis suggest the overall findings from the PLATO study of a greater reduction in thrombotic cardiovascular (CV) events with Brilinta (ticagrelor) tablets plus aspirin compared to clopidogrel plus aspirin were consistent regardless of age.
Terumo Cardiovascular Systems has announced the introduction of the VirtuoSaph Plus Endoscopic Vessel Harvesting System following clearance by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).