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.

CMS proposes Medicare coverage for transcatheter tricuspid valve replacement
Edwards Lifesciences sent a formal request to CMS in February after its Evoque TTVR device gained FDA approval. The agency is now accepting public comments for 30 days.
Hydra TAVR valve gains key approval as global reach continues to grow
The self-expanding device is now available in more than 20 countries and received CE mark approval back in 2020. However, it has not yet been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for use in the United States.
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.

Elective revascularization with PCI or CABG provides long-term cardiovascular benefits, new meta-analysis confirms

Researchers evaluated data from 25 different randomized clinical trials, sharing their findings virtually at EuroPCR 2021.

May 18, 2021

Significant MR after TAVR linked to higher mortality rates—but staged interventions may help

Percutaneous edge-to-edge mitral valve repair was associated with improved outcomes among TAVR patients with persistent mitral regurgitation.

May 14, 2021

FDA advisory: Magnets in cell phones, smart watches can affect implanted medical devices

Though this does not seem to be a significant issue, the agency still recommends keeping consumer electronics at least six inches away from implanted medical devices.

May 13, 2021

Smile for the camera: Cardiologists around the world performing live procedures for charity

The global event, now in its second year, is raising money for Doctors Without Borders.

May 5, 2021

When TEER fails, most patients require mitral valve replacement

The team's findings were presented at the 101st Annual Meeting of the American Association for Thoracic Surgery and published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.

May 3, 2021

SCAI 2021: Harmony TPV could ‘fundamentally alter’ care for patients with congenital heart disease

Overall, one-year findings showed that there were no instances of mortality, endocarditis, major stent fractures or surgical intervention among patients who received the Harmony TPV.

April 30, 2021