Researchers examined data from 82,000 TAVR patients, focusing on echocardiography-defined PPM. They shared their results in JACC: Cardiovascular Imaging.

The recall is due to a malfunction risk that could, if not handled properly, cause the pump to stop working for a long period of time. This could lead to a serious injury or death, according to the recall. 

“This procedure potentially solves the problem of a growing valve,” the lead surgeon said. “If we can eliminate the need for multiple open-heart surgeries every time a child outgrows an old valve, we could be extending the life of that child by potentially decades or more.”

Researchers tracked data from more than 2,000 patients, noting that surgical bailout, infective endocarditis and paravalvular leak were the most common reasons for surgery to be required after TAVR. The full study was published in the American Journal of Cardiology.

The standard-of-care thinking on TAVR has shifted from getting a valve implanted and managing immediate complications to looking decades down the road and considering the patient's long-term health. 

A two-medication strategy after CABG surgery reduces the risk that grafts will fail, but it also increases the risk of serious bleeding. As one surgeon said, "the benefit comes at a price.”

This latest recall was initiated because electrical faults could cause the batteries to stop working, which leads to a risk of serious injury or death.

A new meta-analysis of 28 different studies confirmed that robotic-assisted radical nephrectomy with IVC thrombectomy is a safe treatment option for kidney cancer.