February 5, 2010 – Enrollment is complete for the trial of a polymer-based gel that rapidly transitions to a solid at body temperature, forming a plug that can temporarily occlude blood vessels for heart surgery.
“Information is the lifeblood of modern medicine. Health information technology is destined to be its circulatory system.”(1) When Dr. David Blumenthal’s words appeared in the New England Journal of Medicine(2) last month, he was referring to the IT infrastructure the Department of Health and Human Services is building across the United States.
February 5, 2010 – Cardiac surgical ablation system maker AtriCure agreed to pay $3.8 million plus interest for allegedly using illegal kickbacks and an off-label marketing campaign to induce physicians and hospitals to perform its costly inpatient cardiac surgical ablation procedures over less expensive outpatient catheter ablation procedures.
Providing exceptional cardiovascular care for patients to achieve the best possible outcomes is the number one goal for ...
February 4, 2010 – The FDA granted market clearance today for Toshiba America Medical Systems Inc.’s Viamo laptop ultrasound system. The device offers the same capabilities as larger cart-based systems that were previously unavailable on hand-carried systems. The Viamo was introduced at the 2009 Radiological Society of North America (RSNA) annual meeting.
For more than a decade, Barry T. Katzen, M.D., medical director of Baptist Cardiac and Vascular Institute (BCVI) in Miami, Fla., has pioneered the integration of surgical and interventional procedures. Dr. Katzen and his team continue to show that surgical procedures in an angiographic environment can be accomplished with the same degree of efficiency as in an operating room (OR).
In the past five years, no sector of healthcare has had as big a target on its back as advanced diagnostic imaging services has. Representatives of commercial insurance companies, politicians and even the media all have gravitated to using an MRI or CT service as the prime example of healthcare system waste.
Cardiac positron emission tomography (PET) is growing in popularity among cardiologists because it provides the ability ...
January 27, 2010 — Today, the Society for Cardiovascular Angiography and Interventions (SCAI) launched "WINHeart — Score a WIN for Women," an initiative that raises awareness surrounding gender-based disparities in the diagnosis, treatment and survival of women with cardiovascular disease (CVD).
February 3, 2010 – The new Gator ClipSeal Plug is designed to maintain a hemostatic seal around 0.035- or 0.038-inch guide wires within large hemostatic valve introducer sheaths to minimize blood loss.
February 3, 2010 – The FDA granted 510(k) market clearance for Shina Systems’ 3Di advanced medical (3D/4D) visualization software that downloads over the Internet and provides a full suite of image processing and clinical analysis applications on any PC.
When performing radiofrequency (RF) ablation to treat cardiac arrhythmia, medical professionals must balance the safety ...
February 3, 2010 – Results of a four-year study evaluating the safety and efficacy of laser assisted lead removal using the Spectranetics laser sheath (SLS II), found a 97.7 percent clinical success rate.
February 2, 2010 - A second-generation transradial compression bracelet, the Zoom 2010, is being released by Zoom Co Medic. This bracelet is designed to obtain a stable compression of the radial artery, which will allow an uninterrupted flow of blood sufficient to protect the vascular system, while assuring adequate compression to avoid hematoma and encouraging prompt hemostasis.
February 2, 2010 - Among noninvasive imaging tests for ruling out coronary artery disease (CAD), computed tomography (CT) is a more accurate noninvasive test than magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), according to a comparative study released in Annals of Internal Medicine.
Change Healthcare Cardiology Hemodynamics is an integrated hemodynamic monitoring system for monitoring vital signs and ...
Engineered specifically for the carotid artery, Abbott's self-expanding Xact Stent uses a closed-cell, tight-mesh design allows for a high coverage area and better conformity to the carotid artery, reducing the release of plaque as well as the potential for snagging upon removal.
The ACCULINK carotid stent is designed to provide easy and accurate stent placement in patients who have carotid atherosclerosis and who are at high risk for conventional surgery. The ACCULINK uses rapid exchange technology, enabling a single operator to easily control the embolic protection device and stent delivery system during catheter manipulations. The stent features an open-cell design.
The ACCUNET embolic protection system is designed to provide excellent capture capabilities and easy filter control when doctors perform carotid stenting interventions.