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.

The Penumbra thrombectomy pulmonary embolism clots extraction catheter displayed at TCT 2025. Photo by Dave Fornell

Pulmonary embolism thrombectomy use increases by more than 700%

Medicare claims submitted between 2017 and 2022 showed a 712% increase in thrombectomy for pulmonary embolism (PE) and a 137% increase in thrombectomy for deep vein thrombosis (DVT).

Well-known cardiologist Peter A. Soukas, MD, FACC, FSCAI, FSVM, FACP, has become chief medical officer of carotid stent maker InspireMD Inc.

Cardiologist Peter Soukas becomes chief medical officer of carotid stent company

The company said the move will help it prepare for what is expected to be a rapid expansion of carotid stenting.

A majority of medical devices involved in Class I recalls were never required by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to undergo premarket or postmarket clinical testing, according to new research published in Annals of Internal Medicine.[1]

How to minimize bleeding risks after TAVR

Bleeding events remain a serious complication after TAVR. By identifying high-risk patients early and planning ahead, however, care teams can keep them to a minimum.

Hadley Wilson, MD, MACC, executive vice chair of Atrium Health Sanger Heart and Vascular Institute, and a clinical professor of medicine at Wake Forest University School of Medicine, shares what he felt were the most important clinical trials presented at the TCT 2025.

Key takeaways for interventional cardiology from TCT 2025

B. Hadley Wilson, MD, talked to Cardiovascular Business about several standout late-breaking clinical trials presented at TCT 2025. Topics of those trials included drug-coated balloons, TAVR valve durability, pulmonary embolism treatments and much more.

Paradise Ultrasound image courtesy of Recor Medical.

More good news for renal denervation: FDA-approved systems linked to positive long-term data

New data on the RDN systems from Recor Medical and Medtronic confirmed that this relatively new technology brings long-term relief to patients with uncontrolled hypertension. 

Edwards Evoque transcatheter tricuspid valve replacement TTVR

Evoque TTVR system linked to favorable outcomes in new real-world analysis

Researchers tracked data from more than 1,000 real-world patients, focusing on 30-day safety and efficacy outcomes. The group shared its findings at TCT 2025 in San Francisco.

Shockwave Medical IVL

First-in-human data highlight IVL’s potential to treat more challenging lesions

Shockwave Medical and FastWave Medical have shared new first-in-human data on their advanced IVL offerings. Both companies are focused on addressing difficult-to-cross lesions that often cause problems for cardiologists.

Recor Medical's Paradise Ultrasound Renal Denervation System

Medicare now covers renal denervation for patients with uncontrolled hypertension

This decision expands access to renal denervation to many more patients throughout the United States. Recor Medical and Medtronic both gained FDA approval for their RDN systems in 2023, and other vendors are actively developing their own treatment options.