The FDA notified healthcare professionals this week that it is investigating energy levels in external biphasic defibrillators with shocks less than or equal to 200 Joules (J), because of reports they were ineffective.

November 12, 2009 – A prototype of the Cardiac Diagnostic Monitoring (CDM) device, called the Mobile Patient ECG Telemetry System, or MPETS, will be shown at the 2009 American Heart Association (AHA) Scientific Sessions, Nov. 15-17, in Orlando, Fla.

November 12, 2009 – Catheter-directed therapy or catheter-directed thrombolysis to dissolve dangerous blood clots in the lungs saves lives and should be considered a first-line treatment option for massive pulmonary embolism, according to researchers in the November Journal of Vascular and Interventional Radiology.

November 10, 2009 – FDA and Edwards Lifesciences notified healthcare professionals this week about the class 1 FDA recall of CardioVations EndoClamp Aortic Catheter, due to the potential that the balloon catheters may spontaneously rupture during surgery.

November 10, 2009 – The latest data from seven studies focused on the treatment of peripheral arterial disease (PAD) were presented in the late-breaking trials session of the Vascular Interventional Advances (VIVA) 2009 annual meeting, which took place on Oct. 19 to 23 in Las Vegas. COBEST

November 10, 2009 – Covidien said yesterday it will voluntarily contraindicate the use of its Optimark gadoversetamide injection, a gadolinium-based contrast agent (GBCA), in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) procedures involving patients with severe renal impairment.

November 10, 2009 – Toshiba America Medical Systems, Inc. has introduced the Toshiba Assurance Refurbishment Program to provide customers the ability to purchase previously owned, completely refurbished Toshiba systems.