In addition to the FDA-cleared Gore Helex and the AGA Amplatzer transcatheter devices for atrial septal defects (ASDs), there are several others in development or already cleared for use outside the United States.

July 20, 2010 – The final results of the landmark TRUST Trial (Lumax-T/Lumos-T Safely RedUceS RouTine Office Device Follow-up), which show wireless remote monitoring of implantable cardiac devices offers earlier detection of potenial cardiac problems, were published in the July 27 issue of Circulation.

The Amplatzer transcatheter occluder can help seal holes in heart.
Cardioform Septal Occluder, PFO closure, PFO, ASD occlusion, hole in heart
The Gore Helex can help seal a hole in heart.

Transcatheter structural heart repair devices deployed in the cath lab have largely replaced open-heart surgery as the therapy of choice. Percutaneously deployed septal occluders make it possible to repair atrial septal defects with better outcomes, fewer complications, faster patient recovery and lower health care costs.

July 20, 2010 — A $5 million loan was granted for the development of a new percutaneous mitral valve repair device.


There is no consensus about whether atherosclerotic renal artery stenosis should be stented or treated medically. There are strong opinions on both sides and clinical data up to now is heavily debated. Many see the trials that could have answered this question as flawed.

Outside the United States, transradial artery access is used in 50-90 percent of percutaneous interventions over femoral access, while U.S. usage rates are less than 5 percent. However, a patient safety advocacy organization is attempting to accelerate radial access adoption through education and speaking with lawmakers in Washington.

July 20, 2010 – Rcadia Medical Imaging recently presented five studies demonstrating the potential of its COR Analyzer System to help rule out significant coronary artery stenosis in patients at low to intermediate risk of coronary artery disease (CAD) undergoing coronary computer tomography angiography (CTA).

July 20, 2010 – New dual source CT technology allows a radiation dose of as low as one millisievert (mSv) for computed tomography angiography (CTA) scans, Siemens announced last week at the 2010 Annual Scientific Meeting of the Society of Cardiovascular Computed Tomography (SCCT) in Las Vegas.

The new radial recovery lounge at St. Josephs Hospital is designed to make patients feel more comfortable in a less institutional setting.
After patients recover from the anesthesia in the radial access lounge, they are welcome to walk around the radial lounge at St. Josephs Hospital of Atlanta. They can get a cappuccino or sit on the couches and read newspapers and magazines.
The traditional transfemoral procedure recovery rooms generally appear as stereotypical, sterile, institutional hospital rooms like this one at St. Josephs Hospital of Atlanta. The hospital built a dedicated transradial recovery lounge.

Transradial access is slowly gaining ground in the United States as more physicians make the switch due to greatly reduced bleeding complications, increased patient comfort and earlier ambulation. St. Joseph’s Hospital of Atlanta is a big supporter of radial access and has taken the concept a step further by creating the first transradial recovery lounge in the country.
CT angiography, comparing CT systems, what to look for in CT systems
what to look for in CT systems, advances in CT technology, advances in CT systems
Philips iCT cardiac CTA

In this era of financial cost cutting, questions are raised over the true need for 256- or 320-slice computed tomography (CT) systems for cardiac imaging. There are many radiologists and cardiologists who argue a 64-slice CT system is good enough to make a cardiac diagnosis without spending twice as much for the higher-slice systems.
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