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.

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Hemal Gada, MD, cardiologist

Q&A: Cardiologist and EARLY TAVR co-author questions study’s execution

The EARLY TAVR clinical trial made a significant impact, paving the way for the FDA to approve multiple transcatheter heart valves for the treatment of asymptomatic patients. However, one cardiologist who participated in the trial has some serious concerns with how its findings were presented to the public. 

SCAI AMA HOD delegates Jeff Marshall, MD, and And Edward Tuohy, MD, explain how the resolution will have AMA advocate for Medicare payment policy that removes high-ticket supplies from OBL physician payments and will enable these to be billed separately.

AMA to advocate for improved Medicare payments for office-based labs

SCAI and other healthcare groups want changes made to how healthcare providers are paid after performing office-based lab procedures. "As much as we love delivering care as doctors, if we are losing money doing something, we cannot sustain it," one cardiologist explained. 

cardiologists heart doctors heart research heart data

Balloon-expandable, self-expanding TAVR valves associated with comparable long-term outcomes

Patients treated with the Sapien 3 platform from Edwards Lifesciences and the Evolut platform from Medtronic were linked to more similarities than differences after six years. This was a single-center study, researchers noted, but it does provide an in-depth look at the safety and effectiveness of TAVR.

The Fastwave Sola laser IVL system energy burst to break up coronary calcium.

FastWave Medical reports first-in-human coronary laser IVL procedures

Sola is a rupture-resistant balloon catheter that uses laser energy to deliver 360-degree pressure with each pulse. It was designed to address limitations the company saw in current calcium-modification devices.

Study finds 35 million patients may be eligible for renal denervation

However, eligibility alone does not mean a patient will benefit from treatment.

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]

TAVR specialists come together to explore new data, patient selection and much more

Care teams have a lot to consider when choosing the right treatment for patients with severe aortic stenosis. Two cardiologists and a veteran cardiothoracic surgeon are taking part in a new webinar focused on that very topic. 

Vinay Badhwar, MD, and his team perform a robotic TAVR explant and aortic valve replacement. Image courtesy of WVU Medicine.

Heart surgeons perform world’s first robotic TAVR explant and aortic valve replacement

The patient, 67, presented with a failing TAVR valve and a leaky mitral valve. She had undergone TAVR four years prior, but premature structural valve degeneration made a full replacement necessary. Surgeons ultimately removed the TAVR valve in addition to replacing her aortic and mitral valves—all with the help of advanced robotics.

cardiologist viewing heart data

Real-world data favor SAVR over TAVR when younger patients need aortic valve replacement

Researchers in Italy tracked data from more than 7,000 patients who underwent AVR between the ages of 65 and 80. TAVR was associated with a significantly higher long-term risk of mortality.

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