Interventional Cardiology

This cardiac subspecialty uses minimally invasive, catheter-based technologies in a cath lab to diagnose and treat coronary artery disease (CAD). The main focus in on percutaneous coronary interventions (PCI) to revascularize patients with CAD that is causing blockages resulting in ischemia or myocardial infarction. PCI mainly consists of angioplasty and implanting stents. Interventional cardiology has greatly expanded in scope over recent years to include a number of transcatheter structural heart interventions.

SAVR outperforms TAVR in patients with bicuspid aortic valves
BAV patients are often excluded from TAVR trials, creating uncertainty about the best way to treat that population when aortic valve replacement is required. To learn more, researchers tracked CMS data from 2018 to 2022, presenting their findings in The Annals of Thoracic Surgery.
Intravascular lithotripsy technology now a top priority for many healthcare companies
After the significant success of Shockwave Medical's IVL therapy to break up heavily calcified vessels without trauma, there are now several companies working on their own IVL devices.
SCAI president reviews achievements in interventional cardiology in 2024
SCAI President James Hermiller, MD, recently outlined the key achievements for 2024, including creation of the first interventional cardiology match program, successful advocacy and efforts to increase women in the field.
Treating AFib patients with TAVR still linked to elevated risks
While the technology and techniques associated with TAVR have advanced over the years, treating patients who present with baseline atrial fibrillation is still associated with certain risks.
Industry concerns over paclitaxel-coated devices may have put PAD patients at risk
Back in 2019, the FDA issued a warning about the use of paclitaxel-coated devices when treating peripheral artery disease. The agency took back that warning in 2023, but it appears to have made a significant impact on patient care.

Distance traveled for PCI has little effect on veterans’ outcomes

Half of patients who receive percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) at Veterans Affairs (VA) hospitals in the U.S. travel more than 48 miles for the procedure; a quarter travel at least 110 miles. Yet distance to the PCI site doesn’t significantly influence one-year outcomes, a recent study found.

September 18, 2018

Pre-activating cath labs speeds reperfusion, boosts survival for STEMI patients

ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) patients have better odds of survival if emergency medical services (EMS) personnel alert the hospital where the patient will be arriving ahead of time, according to a study published Sept. 17 in JACC: Cardiovascular Interventions.

September 17, 2018

PK Papyrus covered stent gains FDA approval to treat coronary perforations

The FDA has approved the PK Papyrus covered coronary stent system to treat acute coronary artery perforations, device maker Biotronik announced Sept. 14. It is the first device to be approved by the FDA for this indication in 17 years.

September 14, 2018

Angiographic completeness of PCI not tied to outcomes after FFR-guided stenting

Visual estimations of the completeness of revascularization failed to predict subsequent cardiovascular events for patients with acute coronary syndromes (ACS) who underwent stenting guided by fractional flow reserve (FFR), researchers reported in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.

September 14, 2018

COAPT, SOLVE-TAVI among major trials at TCT.18

Gregg W. Stone, MD, had the unenviable task of condensing the 255-page agenda for next weekend’s Transcatheter Cardiovascular Therapeutics (TCT) meeting into a handful of highlights during a 12-minute media briefing on Thursday, Sept. 13.

September 13, 2018

Angiography, PCI improve outcomes in non-STEMI patients with kidney disease

Chronic kidney disease is a marker of adverse outcomes in patients with non-ST-elevation myocardial infarction (non-STEMI), according to a study published this month in the American Journal of Cardiology. And even though percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) and coronary angiography (CAG) are linked to improved outcomes in those patients, they’re also drastically underutilized in clinical practice.

September 10, 2018

Accomplished interventional cardiologist, advocate Joseph Babb dies

Joseph D. Babb, MD—who performed the first coronary angioplasty in the state of Connecticut and was a past president of the Society for Cardiovascular Angiography and Interventions (SCAI)—has died, SCAI announced Sept. 6. He was 79.

September 7, 2018

Lawsuit: Surgeon left needle inside patient during open-heart surgery

The family of a Tennessee man who died in 2017, one month after open-heart surgery, is suing TriStar Centennial hospital, alleging the surgeon left a needle inside his body.

September 4, 2018

Interventional Cardiology

SAVR outperforms TAVR in patients with bicuspid aortic valves

Intravascular lithotripsy technology now a top priority for many healthcare companies

SCAI president reviews achievements in interventional cardiology in 2024

Treating AFib patients with TAVR still linked to elevated risks

Industry concerns over paclitaxel-coated devices may have put PAD patients at risk