August 30, 2012 — According to Millennium Research Group (MRG), an authority on the medical technology market, as significant numbers of peripheral vascular and vascular access procedures move out of the hospital setting and into a variety of outpatient facilities, manufacturers of peripheral vascular stents, percutaneous transluminal angioplasty (PTA) balloons, atherectomy devices, thrombectomy devices and dialysis catheters will face new and complex challenges in marketing their products.

Vascular closure devices that use an active method to immediately seal the femoral access site can enable faster patient ambulation, reduce nursing time and speed discharge. However, one of the biggest issues interventionalists have with active vascular closure devices is the use of a permanent piece of hardware to stitch or clip the arteriotomy closed. Three companies now offer fully bioresorbable, active vascular closure devices, including a recent release earlier this year.

Cardiac computed tomography (CT), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), echocardiography and nuclear myocardial perfusion imaging each offer advantages and disadvantages, and frequently at least two of these tests are required to get the full picture of a patient’s cardiac health. However, in this age of cutting healthcare costs, declining reimbursements and improving efficiency, it would be advantageous to have a single gold standard exam. Technology advances are now making that possibility.

As vendors develop, and hospitals shop for, electrophysiology (EP) information and reporting systems, there are several considerations that will contribute to the efficiency and longevity of these systems.

Recently, concerns have been raised that transradial (TR) cardiac catheterization significantly increases radiation exposure when compared with the conventional transfemoral (TF) approach. The current rapid uptake of TR in the United States is mainly due to its economic benefits and overall favorable patient outcomes. Perhaps most importantly, TR provides a measurable reduction in vascular complications, which translates to shorter time for ambulation and post-procedural stay. The reduction in bleeding with TR likely lowers mortality in patients with ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). One potential reason for the slow adoption of TR may be the perceived concern about increased radiation exposure.