Cardio

So the two biggest players in the TAVI game are slugging it out over intellectual property in what promises to be a do or die moment for Medtronic’s CoreValve implant.

Biotronik has announced the launch of its 3Flow Aspiration Catheter which is designed to facilitate quick and accurate thrombus aspiration, and complements the company’s Coronary Vascular Intervention portfolio.

A spin-out from a Belgian University has been snapped up by Sorin, in a deal which looks like it’s intended to give the Italian Cardiovascular company a toe-hold in vagus stimulation therapies for heart failure patients.

It’s a harsh reality that chasing a PMA is a lengthy and expensive exercise. HeartWare has deep enough pockets to stay the course, but will be looking forward to the day its R&D spend can come down and its revenues go up.

Medtronic’s Valiant Thoracic Stent Graft has become the second device to be FDA approved for use in all descending thoracic aortic aneurysms without dissections.

Boston Scientific Corporation and the University of Rochester Medical Center have shown that improved programming of Boston Scientific dual-chamber ICD or CRT-D heart devices can reduce inappropriate therapy and risk of death.

Will they, won’t they? The current standoff between St.Jude and AorTech, the supplier of its seemingly rather effective Optim ICD coating material will either end in tears of nuptial joy or something rather more ugly as St.Jude wins its injunction against AorTech’s threatened termination of their supply agreement.

Data from the St.Jude EnligHTN I multi-electrode renal denervation catheter study presented at the annual scientific meeting of the American Heart Association suggests blood pressure reduction is sustained at six months.

Sorin says its newly (U.S.) launched Mitroflow Valsalva Conduit allows for safer device manipulation during assembly and implantation, thus limiting cardiac surgery time

PARTNER study findings suggest transapical insertion of Edwards Sapien valve could only be economically justified if the valve cost $15k less than it does or if length of stay was reduced. Right now transfemoral insertion looks like an economically justifiable technique though.

Michael Carrel has been appointed as President and Chief Executive Officer of AtriCure, Inc., a leading manufacturer of cardiac surgical ablation systems for the treatment of atrial fibrillation(AF), and systems for the exclusion of the left atrial appendage.

It’s a fairly polarised argument. If you are in the camp that believes explanted ICDs could and should be donated and re-used in low income countries you’ll appreciate this new paper. However there’s also support for the nay sayers’ arguments in the study.

Boston Scientific Corporation has announced CE Mark approval for the Synergy™ Everolimus-Eluting Platinum Chromium Coronary Stent System featuring its ultra-thin abluminal bioabsorbable polymer coating which holds the promise of reducing late adverse events.

On-X® Life Technologies, Inc. has launched two new heart valve products at EACTS, the On-X® Aortic Prosthetic Valve with Anatomic Sewing Ring and an ePTFE suture Chord-X® for repair and replacement of mitral valve chordae tendeneae.

Maquet Cardiovascular LLC says the approval of its new larger-volume, fibre-optic IAB catheter will allow clinicians to provide a higher-efficacy IAB counterpulsation therapy “at the speed of light” to smaller patients those who are 5’0″ to 5’4″ tall (152-162 cm).

Data demonstrate high procedural success and low paravalvular leak for Medtronic’s new Engager TAVI offering in late-breaking trials session at the European Association for Cardio-Thoracic Surgery annual meeting.