November 18, 2011 – Boston Scientific’s Watchman left atrial appendage (LAA) closure device has been implanted in the first patients in Latin America. The device is designed for use in patients in atrial fibrillation who are at risk for stroke and are eligible for long-term oral anticoagulation therapy such as warfarin. Watchman is intended to prevent embolization of thrombi that may form in the LAA, thereby preventing the occurrence of ischemic stroke and systemic thromboembolism in patients with non-valvular atrial fibrillation. The first patient implants were performed by Bernardo Caicedo, M.D., interventional cardiologist, at Angiografia de Occidente in Cali, Colombia.

November 18, 2011 – W. L. Gore & Associates Inc. announced that it has received approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to market the Conformable Gore Tag thoracic endoprosthesis as a minimally invasive treatment for patients suffering from thoracic aortic aneurysms (TAAs). The announcement came at the VEITH Symposium 2011 Conference in New York. The device is the only FDA-approved polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) thoracic endoprosthesis designed for endovascular repair of the descending thoracic aorta that offers conformability and ease of use, while accommodating tapered anatomy and resisting compression. The broad oversizing window for the device ranges from six to 33 percent, allowing physicians to choose the appropriate oversizing for the patient anatomy.

November 18, 2011 – The first comprehensive report to review timing of treatment for patients with blockages in more than one coronary artery recommends a flexible approach that meets individual patient’s needs. The report was issued today by the Society for Cardiovascular Angiography and Interventions (SCAI) and is published online in Catheterization and Cardiovascular Interventions.

November 18, 2011 —The Berlin Heart Group announced today that clinical trial data were presented this morning at the “Scientific Sessions 2011” annual meeting of the American Heart Association (AHA). These data showed that, in a clinical trial of children with severe heart failure who were waiting for a heart transplant, 90 percent of patients in the primary cohort of the study were successfully bridged to a heart transplant using Berlin Heart Excor pediatric ventricular assist device (VAD).

November 17, 2011 - Medical Simulation Corp. (MSC) launched an easy-to-use, portable, high-fidelity endovascular procedural simulator at TCT 2011. The Compass simulator is small enough to fit in one shipping case and can be checked as luggage on an airplane. It takes less than five minutes to set up and can be easily used in the physician's office.

Medtronic and Bain Capital, a global private investment firm, today announced they have entered into a definitive agreement under which affiliates of Bain Capital will acquire Physio-Control. The stock of Physio-Control and related entities will be purchased for cash in a transaction valued at approximately $487 million.


Each year I attend Transcatheter Cardiovascular Therapeutics (TCT), I comb the event and its sessions looking for the next big trend or technological innovations in cardiovascular devices. Below are my finds for the most cutting-edge and futuristic technologies at TCT 2011.

November 16, 2011 — MedSolutions announced the launch of its Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillator (ICD) Surgery Management Program. The system uses evidence-based guidelines to ensure the clinical appropriateness of ICD and cardiac resynchronization therapy defibrillator (CRT-D) implantation and directs members to the most qualified physicians and facilities.

November 16, 2011 — The American Society of Echocardiography (ASE) issued a response voicing concerns over the implications of a study published this week in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA).

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