June 14, 2011 – An initial animal study of a next-generation transcutaneous C-Pulse Heart Assist System has been completed. The system is made by Sunshine Heart Inc., a global medical device company focused on technologies for Class III/ambulatory Class IV (moderate to severe) heart failure.

June 10, 2011 - A U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) advisory panel is scheduled to review Edwards Lifesciences’ premarket approval (PMA) application for the Sapien transcatheter heart valve on July 20. Edwards submitted a PMA application in the fall of 2010 based on data from the inoperable cohort (Cohort B) of the PARTNER Trial, for approval of this therapy in the treatment of inoperable patients with severe aortic stenosis.

June 10, 2011 – The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) granted market clearance for a new vascular closure device (VCD) that uses a bioabsorbable plug to seal femoral artery puncture sites. The Cordis Exoseal VCD is indicated for femoral artery puncture site closure, reducing times to hemostasis and ambulation in patients who have undergone diagnostic or interventional catheterization.

June 8, 2011 – “Jomo,” the Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden’s 19-year-old silverback, western lowland gorilla underwent a cardiac ultrasound as part of a preventative study. A team of human cardiologists, technicians and corporate partners made the house call to the Cincinnati Zoo’s Gorilla World exhibit recently to perform the echocardiogram to identify any problems.