DAIC Sept-Oct 2011

DAIC Sept-Oct 2011 Digital Edition
How to Plan for a Hybrid OR
One of the biggest trends is the creation of hybrid operating rooms (ORs) that bring together the best of both surgical and interventional technologies. They are centered around a high-quality angiographic X-ray imaging system, allowing new collaborative treatment strategies and new types of procedures. Users say the shift to hybrid ORs is more than a change of venue for procedures, it is a paradigm shift in medicine.
Mobile C-Arm Hybrid OR Solutions
The space needed and costs involved to create a hybrid operating room (OR) for a specific speciality may not be feasible, especially at mid-sized hospitals. This was the case at Middlesex Hospital in Middletown, Conn., where the facility wanted to increase procedural volume, but needed to upgrade its small operating rooms for vascular, endovascular, laparoscopic and endoscopic procedures.
New Directions for Stent Technology
New developments in drug-eluting stents, such as biodegradable materials and bifurcated stents, are expected to prompt an increase in market value. Companies like Biosensors and Abbott are developing biodegradable and bifurcated stents to deal with concerns about thrombosis caused by long-term device implantation and to expand the type of treatable lesions, including those located at vessel branches.
Costs May Outweigh Returns of Developing Device Innovations
I repeatedly hear two competing, contradictory themes discussed at every symposia – the need to lower healthcare costs and that costs to bring new technology to market are rapidly increasing. The U.S. leadership position as a medical technological innovator is slipping to Europe, where there is a much wider selection of devices to choose from. The requirements to gain CE mark clearance are much more lenient than U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) pre-market approval.
Hemodynamic Systems Improve Cath Lab Workflow, Efficiency
Today’s generation of cath lab hemodynamic recording systems do much more than simply measure and monitor a patient’s electrocardiogram, blood pressure and other vital signs. Current systems offer detailed clinical reporting and auto-completion of data fields in the procedure report, help gather registry data, aid in tracking inventory and patient billing, and link images and cine loops to reports.
Integrated Hemo, CVIS Saves Time, Increases Revenue, Provides Better Care
Houston Northwest Medical Center's cardiology department, along with physicians and IT staff, looked at multiple information systems related to cardiology before choosing Horizon Cardiology from McKesson in 2007. The system stood out for several reasons.
Cardiovascular Stents – Novel Designs, Polymers and New Entries into Market Top Industry Trends
There have been several key news items from the U.S. stent market over the past year. These include the introduction of several new stents, Cordis pulling out of the market, an expanded indication in carotid stenting and development of new stent technology that will likely open a new chapter for percutaneous interventions.
Transradial Access Staff Training and Patient Discharge
Staff education is a vital component for the successful transition to a predominantly transradial cardiac catheterization program. Educational efforts must extend beyond the cath lab. A successful program incorporates staff from the pre- and post-procedure units, telemetry unit, intensive care unit (ICU) and any other unit that routinely cares for cardiac catheterization patients.
Straight From the Wrist – September 2011
A review of recent transradial clinical study data.
Growing a Cardiac Rhythm Program in a Community Setting
Indiana University (IU) Health La Porte Hospital in La Porte, Ind., made the decision to build an advanced EP procedure lab right in the community with holding areas, ancillary workspaces, office space and a clinical area.  The vision was for the lab to encompass all aspects of arrhythmia care, beginning at the procedure area and finishing with the outpatient clinic.  It also was extremely important that the space was efficient, cost-effective and flexible.
TAVI ROI Will Come From Surgical Referrals, Not TAVI
A better strategy to sell the costs of a transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) program to hospital administrators is not to base ROI on TAVI procedures, but on the increased surgical valve repair volume the program would create.
CT Angiography May Help Reduce Costs
With a growing problem of overcrowded emergency departments, coronary computed tomography angiography (CCTA) may be a solution to address the management of chest pain patients. CCTA is increasingly recognized as an accurate, noninvasive tool to safely assess coronary artery disease. Advocates for the modality say it leads to earlier identification and management of obstructive coronary artery disease (CAD), rapid early discharge, improved flow of overcrowded emergency departments and reduced costs.
PET/MRI Enters the U.S. Market
The new imaging modality of positron emission tomography (PET)/magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was introduced to the U.S. market in June. The Siemens Biograph mMR (molecular MR) gained U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) 510(k) clearance as the first dedicated PET/MRI system. It is the only system to combine both modalities into one machine, allowing simultaneous imaging of location, function and metabolic activity of organs in a single image.