News • Comparison of imaging methods
4D flow MRI to quicker diagnose aortic stenosis
A new 4D flow MRI method could accelerate diagnosis of aortic stenosis, a progressive and potentially fatal heart condition.
Search for: "heart valve" - 213 articles found
News • Cardio-diagnostics for untrained users
Heart disease screening made easy with new handheld device
A new device for people with or without medical training could be used as an easier, more forgiving alternative to stethoscopes to accurately detect valvular heart disease (VHD).
News • Light-activated device
World's tiniest pacemaker can be injected into body, dissolves after use
Smaller than a grain of rice: US engineers have developed a pacemaker so tiny that it can fit inside the tip of a syringe — and be non-invasively injected into the body.
Article • Imaging modalities for quantifying myocardial blood flow
Nuclear cardiology – a nuclear perspective on matters of the heart
Nuclear cardiology is a specialised field in nuclear medicine that evaluates the heart function to help diagnosing conditions such as coronary artery disease and to assess treatment efficacy, whilst minimising invasive procedures like biopsies. More recently, clinicians have increasingly opted for nuclear imaging over endomyocardial biopsy to diagnose cardiac amyloidosis, allowing for earlier…
Video • Zwitterion research
Polymer coating to prevent blood clotting in medical implants
Researchers at the University of Sydney are using so-called Zwitterions to create a surface coating that could stop blood clotting in medical devices and implants like catheters and stents.
News • Impact on long-term survival
Biological vs mechanical heart valve replacement: study compares outcomes
Patients aged between 50 to 70 years with a mechanical heart valve replacement had better long-term survival compared to those with a biological valve, new research has found.
News • Elderly heart patients
Aortic stenosis: benefits of early intervention
Early surgery for aortic stenosis – a common heart condition in the elderly – can drastically improve patients' quality of life, a new study shows.
News • Study on sex-specific VHD treatment
Treatment inequality puts women with heart valve disease at risk
Women with severe native valvular heart disease (VHD) are less likely to be treated in accordance with guidelines than men, finds a new study conducted at more than 200 centres across Europe.
News • Echocardiography
Robot arm and 5G for remote heart diagnostics
When the cardiologist cannot come to the patient, a robot arm might do the trick: New research shows the potential of echocardiograms performed remotely using robot arm technology and a 5G network.
News • Biomaterial-based device
Heart valve made of human collagen opens up new treatment avenues
A new heart valve comprised of biological material obtained from human cells, opens up new therapeutic avenues for patients with paediatric heart diseases, such as tetralogy of Fallot.
News • Minimally invasive procedure
Aortic valve replacement: TAVR on par with surgical approach
Decreased rates of death and stroke: new research shows the validity of transcatheter aortic valve replacement in low-risk patients. This advocates a less invasive alternative to surgical options.
News • Warfarin, personalised
AI helps dosing anticoagulation meds in heart surgery patients
Warfarin is sometimes prescribed after heart surgery, but getting the dose right requires a personalised approach for each patient. A new AI tool is designed to help with this complex task.
Article • Men are from Mars, women are from Venus
Sex differences in imaging cardiovascular disease
An interplanetary title for a quite down-to-earth topic: The symposium "Men are from Mars, women are from Venus" at the EACVI congress (European Association of Cardiovascular imaging) launched into the differences between the hearts of men and women. While the speakers could firmly establish that both sexes share the same home world, variations in their cardiac anatomy warrant a more…
News • Cardiac valve simulator
A biorobotic heart for better valve stimulation
Combining a biological heart and a silicone robotic pump, researchers created a biorobotic heart that beats like a real one, with a focus on a valve on the left side of the heart.
News • Promising prototype solution
An artificial heart valve that grows with the child
Many children born with heart problems receive prosthetic valves, but the valves cannot grow with them. A prototype expanding artificial heart valve could greatly reduce the number of surgeries.
News • Troponin assessment
Blood test aids emergency diagnosis of heart conditions
A high sensitivity blood test can improve diagnosis for one in five patients who have a heart muscle injury, according to new research.
News • Myocardial infarction, heart failure, atrial fibrillation, and aortic stenosis
Research reveals striking inequalities in NHS heart care
Stark inequalities in diagnosis and treatment of four of the most common heart conditions in the UK have been revealed in new research led by a team at the University of Leeds.
Article • State of the art and latest advances in technology
Robotic assistance in the operating theatre
Surgical robots are becoming widespread in operating theatres, delivering accuracy and safety. An overview of the main systems, principal operators, the market and European initiatives in this field.
News • Noninvasive diagnosis in high-risk CAD patients
Photon-counting CT: “bloom” reduction improves heart disease detection
Photon-counting CT enables accurate diagnosis of coronary artery disease in high-risk patients, a potentially significant benefit for people previously ineligible for noninvasive screening.
News • Extracorporeal photopheresis
Study on ECP in heart transplant patients presents promising results
Results from a large European study reinforce the use of Extracorporeal photopheresis (ECP) in heart transplant patients as a treatment for heart transplant rejection and prevention of rejection.
News • Focused Rotary Jet Spinning
Rapid-production heart valves control blood flow immediately after implantation
A new method for cheaply producing heart valves in the span of minutes shows great promise. The scientists describe the method as "a cotton-candy machine with a hair dryer behind it."
News • First-time use of new tool
Cardiologists use retrieval 'basket' to remove heart tumor
Interventional cardiologists in Seattle recently performed a first-in-human procedure, successfully employing a catheter-delivered device to retrieve a benign tumor from inside a patient’s heart.
News • In the heart
4D flow MRI scans to assess blood flow
Researchers have developed cutting-edge imaging technology to help doctors better diagnose and monitor patients with heart failure. The state-of-the-art technology uses magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to create detailed 4D flow images of the heart.
News • Study shows elevated risk
Finding connections between diabetes and heart valve disease
Individuals with diabetes display a substantially increased risk of disease in left-sided heart valves compared to controls without diabetes, a new comprehensive register study shows.
News • Novel manufacturing technique
3D printed heart valves to support tissue growth
Researchers have developed 3D printed artificial heart valves designed to allow a patient’s own cells to form new tissue.
News • Surface treatment
Preventing deadly hospital infections without antibiotics
Hospital-acquired infections are dangerous for patients and costly for clinics. A novel surface treatment could help improve the safety of medical devices and ease the economic burden.
News • Minimally invasive cardiology
TAVI: viable alternative to open heart surgery in aortic stenosis
Transcatheter Aortic Valve Implantation (TAVI) is a less invasive procedure that is just as effective as open-heart surgery in treating severe symptomatic aortic stenosis, a new study shows.
News • Blood filtering against inflammation
Hemoadsorption brings no benefit in endocarditis surgery
Reducing inflammatory mediators in the blood before surgical treatment of cardiac bacterial infection does not improve clinically relevant outcome, a new study shows.
News • Xenotransplant
Surgeons transplant pig heart into human patient
US surgeons perform historic first successful transplant of porcine heart into adult auman with end-stage heart disease.
Article • Cardiology helpers
A new era for robotic cardiac interventions
Interventional cardiology is entering a new era with the wider introduction of robotic procedures which bring significant benefits to the medical team and the patient. Two experts outlined the benefits at the ESC 2021 Digital Summit.
News • Cardiology research
Transcatheter aortic valve replacement: new insights on life expectancy
Researchers at Karolinska Institutet have examined long-term outcomes in patients who received pacemaker implantations after transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) through their groin. The result showed no significant difference in mortality for the patients with pacemakers compared to those without. The study is published in the journal JACC: Cardiovascular Interventions.
Article • SPECT/CT, MPI and more
The value of hybrid imaging in the cardiac arena
Combining imaging modalities is helping to achieve better diagnostic and therapeutic outcomes for heart patients. The topic, discussed in detail by experts at the ICNC-CT online International Conference on Nuclear Cardiology and Cardiac CT, examined hybrid/fusion imaging as the standard in cardiovascular imaging, and its value in clinical practice. Professor Terrence Ruddy spoke about the role of…
Article • Molecular targeting for better results
Emerging novel tracers for cardiovascular imaging
Molecular imaging, guided by novel tracers, is emerging as an important diagnostic and therapeutic tool in cardiovascular medicine. Delegates at ICNC-CT, the online International Conference on Nuclear Cardiology and Cardiac CT, also heard that cardiology can learn from fields such as oncology and neurology that have already made important advances in this area. Professor Frank Bengel, who is…
Sponsored • Transcatheter aortic valve implants
TAVI: from short-term effects to lifetime management
Until recently, TAVI, the minimally invasive procedure in which a replacement valve is inserted inside a diseased valve has been mostly prescribed for patients too weak to face open heart surgery – largely involving those in the 80-plus age group. Today, due to greater longevity plus advancing skills that result in risks reduction, TAVI is increasingly prescribed for patients in their 70s and…
Article • Gender issues
Promoting equity for women in cardiology in the UK
A national network of mentors and female role models, created by the British Cardiovascular Society (BCS), aims to encourage women to become cardiologists and end male dominance and negative and sexist comments.
News • Transient implant
A pacemaker that dissolves when it's no longer needed
Researchers at Northwestern and George Washington (GW) universities have developed the first-ever transient pacemaker — a wireless, battery-free, fully implantable pacing device that disappears after it’s no longer needed. The thin, flexible, lightweight device could be used in patients who need temporary pacing after cardiac surgery or while waiting for a permanent pacemaker. All components…
News • Imaging
4D flow MRI scans to help patients with heart disease
A cutting-edge imaging technique that creates 4D flow images of the heart has been carried out for the first time in the UK at the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital (NNUH).
Harmony Transcatheter Pulmonary Valve (TPV) System
FDA approval for implant to treat congenital heart disease
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved the first in the world non-surgical heart valve to treat pediatric and adult patients with a native or surgically-repaired right ventricular outflow tract (RVOT). The device, called the Harmony Transcatheter Pulmonary Valve (TPV) System, is intended to improve blood flow to the lungs in patients with severe pulmonary valve regurgitation without…
Article • Covid-19 collaterals
Coronavirus impacts heart surgery across Europe
Cardiac surgery across Europe is being set back as a result of the ongoing coronavirus. Operations are being postponed, treatment delayed, and critical care staff have been redeployed to cope with the impact of the Covid-19 epidemic on health services. However, gaining a clear picture of the Europe-wide situation, and the long-term effects coronavirus will have on heart surgery, is a challenge…
News • Alternative therapies
Artificial aorta can reduce patients' blood pressure
Over 23 million people around the world suffer from heart failure. The disease is usually treated with a transplant, but because donated hearts are hard to come by, there is an ongoing need for alternative therapies. With new developments in cardiac assistance systems, we can delay the need for a transplant – or even eliminate it altogether,” says Professor Yves Perriard, head of EPFL’s…
News • Promising alternative to heart transplants
'Artificial aorta' to reduce blood pressure
Engineers at EPFL’s Center for Artificial Muscles have developed a silicone aorta that can reduce how hard patients’ hearts have to pump. Their breakthrough could offer a promising alternative to heart transplants. “Over 23 million people around the world suffer from heart failure. The disease is usually treated with a transplant, but because donated hearts are hard to come by, there is an…
News • Fewer heart surgeries, more patient deaths
Landmark study examines 'Covid effect' on cardiac surgery
The most deadly global health crisis in a century has resulted in a substantial decline in overall heart surgery volume and an unexplained increase in deaths after coronary artery bypass grafting, according to late-breaking research presented at the 57th Annual Meeting of The Society of Thoracic Surgeons.
News • Biodegradable implantables
One step closer to regenerative heart valves and stents
Non-degradable prostheses for cardiovascular tissues can be used to replace heart valves and blood vessels, but they can’t stay in the body permanently. In two recent papers, researchers at the Eindhoven University of Technology (TU/e) in collaboration with a number of clinical partners, the Dutch Heart Foundation, and TU/e spin-off companies Suprapolix, Xeltis, and STENTiT have shown how…
Sponsored • Specialist centre chain
HartKliniek – cardiology with a Dutch twist
Cardiology tends to be surrounded by a maze of regulations, responsibilities and red tape. Leave it to the traditionally mercantile Dutch to streamline things. Case in point: HartKliniek, a chain of medical specialist diagnosis and treatment centres in the Netherlands which aim to transform cardiology to a more effective model – less personnel, more time for patients. We spoke with Menno and…
Sponsored • After the earthquake
Ultrasound provides much-needed answers for rebuilding lives in Nepal
Dr. Jesus Casado Cerrada, Internist at the Hospital Universitario de Getafe and Professor at the Universidad Europea, Madrid, Spain, has travelled to the Rasuwa district of Nepal to help a local NGO rebuild the region’s infrastructure following a severe earthquake in 2015. Dr. Casado explains: “University colleagues from the architectural and engineering departments had already established…
News • Durable implant
New heart valve could transform open heart surgery
A new polymeric heart valve with a life span potentially longer than current artificial valves that would also prevent the need for the millions of patients with diseased heart valves to require life-long blood thinning tablets has been developed by scientists at the universities of Bristol and Cambridge. The team's latest in-vitro results, published in Biomaterials Science, suggest that the…
Article • 4D imaging, structured reporting and more
The ascent of AI in thorax-CT
As a highly innovative medical specialisation, radiology increasingly takes advantage of the possibilities offered by artificial intelligence (AI). Yet, there is no risk for the future of the specialty. Demands on this discipline are too complex, too communicative. Thus, machines will not replace a radiologist any time soon – of that Uwe Joseph Schöpf, professor of radiology, cardiology and…
News • Sex-specific genes
Heart valve defect: female and male hearts react differently
When the heart valve between the aorta and the left ventricle is narrowed, i.e. aortic valve stenosis is present, different genes are active in men than in women. Scientists of the German Centre for Cardiovascular Research (DZHK) at Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin have discovered this for the first time. Future research can be planned more precisely according to these results and could…
News • Open surgery or TAVI?
New ways to treat severe aortic stenosis
New research at the University of Leicester, funded by the British Heart Foundation (BHF), could change the way people living with a debilitating heart condition are treated. The £2.7m clinical trial aims to identify the best time to operate on people living with severe aortic stenosis (AS). AS is a common condition that causes a narrowing of the heart valve, restricting blood flow out of the…
News • Multi-component procedure
SULEEI: extending the functional lives of biological heart valve prostheses
For decades now, the Fraunhofer Institute for Organic Electronics, Electron Beam and Plasma Technology FEP has been developing processes and systems for cleaning, sterilization, and surface modification. The newly in-house developed process, called SULEEI, makes it possible to sterilize (S) and preserve decellularized pericardial tissue by means of photo-initiated ultraviolet (U) crosslinking…
Article • Tricuspid insufficiency
Healing the heart’s right chambers
Most people think their heart is located on the left side of their chest, and this is also the direction science has looked, so far. However, just as the heart sits at the centre of the chest, disease also affects the right side of the organ. Cardiologists must now look right to improve patient prognosis, according to Professor José Luis Zamorano, Vice President of the European Society of…
Article • Highlights from the 30th TCT Meeting
Advancing transcatheter cardiovascular therapies
A remarkable number of studies and innovations were presented at the 30th anniversary of Transcatheter Cardiovascular Therapeutics (TCT) meeting in San Diego, California. TCT 2019 will take place in San Francisco, CA between 25-29-Sep-2019. On the clinical side, the long-expected results from COAPT trial studying MitraClip device in patients with secondary mitral regurgitation and heart failure…
Video • Tailor-made
Artificial heart valves from silicone
Scientists at ETH Zürich and the South African company Strait Access Technologies are using 3D printing to produce custom-made artificial heart valves from silicone. This could help meet an ageing population’s growing demand for replacement heart valves. The human heart has four chambers, each equipped with a valve to ensure blood flow in one direction only. If any of the heart valves are…
News • Be prepared
This 3D printed baby dummy could improve resuscitation training
Two millions: this is, worldwide, the number of babies which suffer suffocation during birth every year. A resuscitation procedure is sometimes the key to avert irreparable damages for the baby. And, for successful outcomes, promptness of action and preparation are vital. Researcher Mark Thielen (Industrial Design) from the Eindhoven University of Technology (TU/e) developed a 3D printed baby…
News • On the go
Wearable ultrasound patch penetrates the skin to measure blood pressure
Researchers funded by the National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering (NIBIB) are literally breaking barriers using ultrasound waves emitted from a flexible patch to accurately measure central blood pressure and help detect cardiovascular problems earlier. For a while now, smart, wearable devices have had the ability to capture how many steps we take in a day or measure our heart…
News • AI in cardiology
Cardiac ultrasound: Harnessing anatomical intelligence
A new cardiac ultrasound solution is harnessing the power of anatomical intelligence to offer greater diagnostic confidence to clinicians. New EPIQ cardiac ultrasound solutions launched by Philips during the 2018 ESC Congress in Munich, have been designed to simplify workflow The CVx platform which, the firm reports, includes higher processing power, improved image clarity and sharpness, and more…
News • Innovative material
'Smart' surfaces might pave the way for safer implants and better diagnostics
Researchers at McMaster University have solved a vexing problem by engineering surface coatings that can repel everything, such as bacteria, viruses and living cells, but can be modified to permit beneficial exceptions. The discovery holds significant promise for medical and other applications, making it possible for implants such as vascular grafts, replacement heart valves and artificial joints…
News • Innovation award
Multi-organ "lab-on-a-chip" to reduce animal testing
To simulate the blood circulation and the organs of animals or humans, engineers from Fraunhofer in Dresden have developed a so-called "multi-organ chip". This microsystem from the Fraunhofer Institute for Material and Beam Technology IWS Dresden has now received an "EARTO Innovation Award" in Brussels. The "lab-on-a-chip" will help industry to develop new drugs and…
Interview • Cardiac imaging on ICE
The benefits of Intracardiac echocardiography
Intracardiac echocardiography (ICE) is an increasingly important guiding tool for structural heart disease interventions – without general anaesthesia. José Ribeiro, who works in the thorax and circulation unit at Gaia Hospital Centre, Portugal, who has worked with this technology for the past two years, explained its benefits and limitations.
Article • Cardiology congress
ESC 2018: At the heart of research
When delegates from around 150 countries converge on Munich for ESC Congress 2018 they will no doubt reflect on what they themselves eat. Yes, nutrition is up for debate, questioning, for example, whether weight loss therapies can also prevent heart attacks and strokes. Results from the CAMELLIA-TIMI 61 trial of 12,000 overweight individuals with established cardiovascular disease or diabetes…
News • A map to the heart
The meaning of heart geometry in surgery
Geometry is often referenced for matters of the heart. Marriage has been described as “two parallel lines,” and others have compared love to an “irrational equation” or as unending as “pi.” But when it comes to the medical matters of the heart, geometry can be a lonely and dangerous affair. “The shape and size of a heart is not the same for every person, and a diseased heart, such…
Article • prenatal diagnostics
Ultrasound is indispensable in prenatal exams
‘In prenatal diagnostics, particularly in the first trimester, ultrasound continues to be the modality of choice when looking for malformations,’ says Professor Markus Hoopmann, deputy director of prenatal medicine and gynaecological ultrasound at the Women’s Health Clinic in Tübingen University Hospital. This case for ultrasound is significant because today fetal DNA that circulates in…
Article • Perinatology
Diagnostics and treatment of congenital heart defects
Today, many congenital heart defects can be diagnosed in the unborn child – and even treated in utero. Monique Haak (46), gynaecologist-perinatologist and fetal surgeon at Leids University Medical Center (LUMC) in Leiden, The Netherlands, is an expert in the diagnosis and surgery of fetal heart defects.
Article • Electrospinning
Renewing the promise of bioabsorbable implants
Electrospun materials bring a spark of hope to a cardiovascular landscape darkened by setbacks for reabsorbable stents. It was famously said that implanting a device in a person to cure a disease is to implant a new disease. Simply put, the human body will continually fight against foreign materials, leading to chronic inflammations or repeated interventions.
Article • Cardiology
Pulmonary valve placement via a child’s liver
A Spanish team has, for the first time, successfully placed a pulmonary valve using catheterisation through the hepatic vein in a paediatric patient. Specialists believe this type of intervention could become an interesting alternative when traditional access points are not available.
Article • Radiation protection
Robotic assistants enter remote stenting
Shielding cardiologists from harmful radiation is the goal for two systems capable of navigating the vascular highway.
Article • Cardiology
‘The future belongs to the heart team’
A formerly bitter competition between cardiology and cardiac surgery is increasingly replaced by constructive cooperation. The Austrian Society of Cardiology (ÖKG) even held its annual congress along with the Austrian Society of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery this year.
Article • 40th anniversary
Angioplasty - the technique that revolutionised cardiology
Coronary angioplasty is arguably the most revolutionary breakthrough in the history of cardiology. While the technique is today performed on millions of patients worldwide, its origins can be traced back to Zurich, Switzerland, in the late 1970s.
Article • ESC Congress 2017
Entering the future of cardiology
With 4,500 accepted abstracts, 600 sessions and 30,000 expected attendees, ESC Congress 2017 is undoubtedly the world’s largest cardiovascular event. On healthcare-in-europe.com, Dr Stephan Achenbach, Congress Program Committee Chairperson, gives an overview of issues and events unfolding in Barcelona from August 26-30.
Article • Evolution of a field
Will software steal the heart of cardiology?
Celebrating 40 years of PCI, cardiologists fret over their future with big data, machine learning and robots.
News • Prevention
Design of operating theatre reduces hospital infections
In rare cases, a dangerous bacterial infection occurs following major cardiac surgery. A device which is used for the regulation of body temperature has been found to be responsible for this. Since this discovery was made, Bern University Hospital has been working on guidelines for infection prevention.
Article • Emergency
Resuscitation: E-FAST or CT?
Ultrasound examinations are considered cost-efficient, fast and effective. The E-FAST (Extended-Focused Assessment with Sonography for Trauma) is a standardised examination used in accident & emergency medicine worldwide. The procedure helps to diagnose internal bleeding and organ damage in severely injured patients in the resuscitation room and, in some regions, even during emergency…
News • In heart's upper chamber
'Corkscrew' shape of blood flow may signal lower stroke risk
Using specialized CT scans of a healthy heart and one with heart disease, a team of Johns Hopkins cardiologists and biomedical engineers say they've created computer models of the "shape" of blood flow through the heart's upper left chamber that someday may help predict stroke risk.
The BMJ launches series to get the latest trial evidence into practice
This week, The BMJ launches a new series called ‘Rapid Recommendations,’ a collaboration with an international group of researchers and doctors, working together with patients, to quickly and reliably transform research evidence into clinical practice recommendations.
Article • Echocardiography
Toshiba beams in on cardiology ultrasound
To sharply focus on the specialised requirements in echocardiography, Toshiba engineers built from scratch the Aplio i900CV with a total redesign of hardware and software. The new Aplio i-series is a premium addition to the award-winning Aplio 500 platform, which today is used in more than 31,000 clinical settings worldwide.
Article • Controversy
TAVI is approved for lower risk patients
The Medtronic CoreValve Evolut R System received its CE Mark of approval this August to treat aortic stenosis in patients with an intermediate risk for undergoing conventional surgery for a valve replacement. This is a controversial indication for transcatheter aortic valve implantations (TAVI) – one that has been eagerly sought by some clinicians but resisted by others. Younger patients will…
Article • Research
Testosterone clue to male heart deaths
As men appear to have higher risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) than women of a similar age – with vascular calcification a strong predictor of mortality and morbidity from CVD – a team from the University of Edinburgh hopes that exploration of a link between gender and calcification could help unlock the pathway to new therapies. The researchers have been looking at whether sex hormones…
Article • Multimodality imaging
Algorithms define prosthetic valve dysfunction
Cardiologists have highlighted the importance of all imaging modalities – including echocardiography and cardiac CT – to evaluate prosthetic heart valves in a new series of recommendations. AF-patients who were admitted to an NHS hospital over the weekend faced a higher risk of dying over the next five years than others.
Article • Organ-sized models
Spain takes medical 3-D print to heart
3-D print technology is expanding to cardiology surgery and interventional procedures. Research is scarce in Europe but a group of Spain-based cardiologists are currently developing 3-D print models to assess their value in the heart.
Article • Intervention
Hybrid ORs: not equally beneficial for all facilities
The hybrid operating room is one of the most innovative developments in the surgical sector. The combination of interventional and minimally invasive surgical procedures is exciting for many clinical disciplines. The room design, intraoperative imaging techniques as well as interdisciplinary collaboration play a pivotal role in this.
Article • Compliance
The free ride is over!
At Europe’s most prestigious medical conferences, as many as half of the doctors attending are only there because of the generous sponsorship by pharmaceutical and medical technology companies. The practice has been going on for decades, to the point that continuing medical education (CME) in Europe is heavily dependent on the largess of these companies. In 2018 it all comes to an end when a…
Sponsored • Revolution CT
An outstanding system for emergency centers
The University Hospital Jena (UKJ) is the first one in Germany and one of the first in Europe to use the GE Revolution CT for faster diagnostics in an emergency center. Thanks to innovative technology, several steps of the examination can now be done in one single scan, exposing the patient to a quite low radiation dose.
Article • CSI
3-D printed hearts
The CSI Congress (Congenital, Structural and Valvular Interventions) is one of the major fixtures for catheter therapy of congenital and structural heart defects. Key moments in this high profile event are live broadcasts and the audience can not only to listen to but also interact with the teams in the cath labs involved.
News • Discovery
Blueprint of body's heat sensor
Touch a hot stove, and your fingers will recoil in pain because your skin carries tiny temperature sensors that detect heat and send a message to your brain saying, "Ouch! That's hot! Let go!" The pain is real and it serves a purpose, otherwise we'd suffer greater injury. But for many people with chronic pain, that signal keeps getting sent for months or years, even when there is no…
Article • Procurement
Good money for good products?
Whether they are wireless pacemakers or catheter-guided heart valve implants, new, really innovative products must reach patients – somehow. Thus manufacturers need to ensure that the hospitals that buy their products will be reimbursed. New diagnostic and treatment methods are not captured by a system based on the analysis of older methods. Holger Zorn spoke with Nicole Eisenmenger, Director…
News • Popeye was rigth
Beet juice boosts muscle power in heart patients
Scientists have evidence that Popeye was right: Spinach makes you stronger. But it’s the high nitrate content in the leafy greens — not the iron — that creates the effect.
Article • Cardiomyopathy
Experts: Echocardiography is an invaluable tool
The challenges and advantages of using echocardiography as an invaluable tool in the assessment of Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy have been highlighted at a major UK cardiology conference.
Article • Atrial fibrillation
Transthoracic echocardiography
The role transthoracic echocardiography plays in a number of common clinical scenarios was discussed by leading cardiac imaging experts at this year’s British Cardiovascular Society Conference.
News • Ars Electronica Center
Virtual journey through the heart
Medical research and art sometimes meet at their finest: experts from the Fraunhofer Institute for Medical Image Computing MEVIS in Bremen produced a three-dimensional movie, showing the human heart in full action. The organ beats and pumps, and special techniques visualize the dynamic flow of blood in the vessels. The sequence is part of a new interactive three-dimensional experience to be…
Article • Clinical practice guidelines
Temperature management during heart surgery
The Society of Thoracic Surgeons, the Society of Cardiovascular Anesthesiologists, and the American Society of ExtraCorporeal Technology have released a set of clinical practice guidelines to address management of a patient's temperature during open heart surgery. The guidelines appear in the August issue of The Annals of Thoracic Surgery and were published simultaneously in two other journals.
Article • Cardiology III
Restrictive ruling on cardiac procedure
In the future, TAVIs can only be carried out in German hospitals with cardiac surgery departments and cardiac wards, as decided by the German Government’s Expert Panel on Health (G-BA) last January. An interim arrangement in force until 2016 is anticipated for Heart Centres that currently carry out the TAVI procedure without cardiac surgery departments on site. The Federal Ministry of Health is…
Article • OR goes digital
The entrance of PACS-Surgery
Picture Archiving and Communications systems (PACS) are well established for managing radiology images. Could this robust and mature technology now become the backbone for creating the digital operating theatre? Report: John Brosky
Article • Growing Cells
Novel tissue substitute made of high-tech fibers
Regenerative medicine uses cells harvested from the patient’s own body to heal damaged tissue. Fraunhofer researchers have developed a cell-free substrate containing proteins to which autologous cells bind and grow only after implantation.
Article • Influential innovations
Unfolding new vistas for MRI, PET and PET/CT
The importance of cardiac imaging is increasing, but nuclear medicine procedures are by no means obsolete, observes Okan Ekinci, during our EH interview with the Siemens Vice President for Healthcare Consulting & Clinical Affairs about the latest innovations for cardiology.
Article • Paediatric imaging
MRI in paediatric cardiology
'In paediatric cardiology, echocardiography is the method of choice for preoperative diagnostic purposes,' explains Professor Dr Emanuela Valsangiacomo-Büchel, senior cardiologist and director of cardiovascular imaging at the University Children’s Hospital Zurich, Switzerland. Report: Axel Viola
Article • Cardiac MRI
How does that work again?
You are curious to know what this cardiac MRI thing is all about? You want to brush up on your cardiac MRI knowledge? Then we are afraid you have to delve into the technical basics. Sounds boring? It sure isn’t, says Dr Harald Quick.
Seeking congenital cardiac defects
Congenital heart defects are the most common congenital disorders found in newborns – around one in a hundred babies are affected. This type of heart defect can be reliably diagnosed with ultrasound, usually during the detailed foetal scan carried out halfway through the pregnancy. Report: Brigitte Dinkloh
Malta needs to nurture collaborations
Imaging has progressed at vertiginous paces since X-rays were invented, not only as a diagnostic tool but also as an invaluable partner in the realm of non-invasive medical intervention.
Correcting Tetralogy of Fallot
ECMO's role in a world's first cardiac procedure: Cardiac specialists in the UK have performed a world’s first operation on a 14-year-old boy suffering a severe heart condition. Mark Nicholls reports.
3D targeting of the heart
The heart is a structure in three dimensions and today we see it in three dimensions,’ Jose Luis Zamorano Gomez MD declared with satisfaction.
Bringing surgical quality to TAVR valves
A cardiac surgeon, Wolfgang Goetz MD once stitched together custom aortic valves in the operating room. Today he is CEO of Transcatheter Technologies in Regensburg.
TAVI rises another step in the United Kingdom
A hospital with a reputation for trailblazing heart surgery has taken transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) onto the next step in the UK.
Agreement between Edwards Lifesciences and Medtronic
Edwards Lifesciences Corporation, the global leader in the science of heart valves and hemodynamic monitoring, announced that the company has reached an agreement with Medtronic to settle all outstanding patent litigation between the companies, including cases related to transcatheter heart valves.
News • Cardiology
Transcatheter aortic valve implantations (TAVI)
A hybrid operating theatre is considered ideal for TAVI because cardiologists and cardiac surgeons can work hand in hand. Here, in the hybrid theatre at Kerckhoff Heart Centre, Bad Nauheim, a transcatheter aortic valve implant with transfemoral access is being performed. The clean air room features cardiac cath lab equipment and an X-ray system.
Promising substitutes for human hearts
Fully implantable mechanical hearts bring hope to 121,000 heart failure patients who will never receive a heart transplant
Mobile C-arms in hybrid operating theatres
Hybrid operating theatres that combine conventional surgical tools with image-guided diagnostic tools, allow cardiologists and cardiac surgeons to perform minimally invasive surgery (MIS).
European approval for advanced SAPIEN 3 Valve
Edwards Lifesciences Corporation, the global leader in the science of heart valves and hemodynamic monitoring, announced that it has received CE Mark in Europe and is initiating the launch of its most advanced transcatheter aortic valve, the Edwards SAPIEN 3 valve.
From MIS to optimally invasive cardiac surgery
Since minimally invasive surgery (MIS) entered cardiac surgery in the mid-1990s it became unthinkable not to use this medical specialty. However, MIS procedures do not always result in the best outcome for patients.
Transplants under silent attack
The number of patients treated with implants – from cardiac pacemakers, heart valves and vascular implants to artificial hips and knees – is rising worldwide.
Fusing images from different sources
Okan Ekinci, Global Director of Cardiology at Siemens Healthcare, is convinced that, ultimately, ultrasound will remain the ‘entry level’ imaging procedure for patients. European Hospital met up with him at this year’s ESC congress to hear his thoughts on the potential of ultrasound – and particularly its fusion with other imaging modalities.
Ultrasound 60 years later
Through the miracle of modern-day ultrasound, we are able to see – in three dimensions and in real time – the functioning of arteries, veins and the many sophisticated structures of the heart. While most think of ultrasound technology as it relates to grinning parents getting a first glance of their baby in the womb, cardiovascular care is being revolutionised by advances in ultrasound…
The fall and rise of cardiac surgery innovations
Grandly announced, the da Vinci became the must-have of any self-respecting cardiac surgeon, only to sink into obscurity as quickly as it had risen to stardom. Once the wunderkind of robotic surgery, today this surgical system is merely collecting dust on many a hospital cupboard. A whole slew of methods and technologies were launched with varied fanfares over the past ten years. European…
The ESPOIR Study
Professor Axel Haverich and team at the Clinic for Cardiothoracic, Transplant and Vascular Surgery in Hanover Medical School (MHH) have been carrying out research into decellularised heart valves for over 15 years. They trialled a procedure – initially in the laboratory and in animal experiments – which does not cause tissue rejection, is hoped to last a lifetime and, in the case of children,…
Turbulences in ultrasound
Ultrasound expands its role in cardiac imaging with disruptive applications. Fasten your seat belt. Cardiac diagnostics is entering a zone of turbulence. Manufacturers of leading systems continue to mine data from the sonic signal that opens new fields for research. John Brosky reports
TAVI will surpass heart surgery for aortic valve replacement
Each year the case grows stronger for transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVI). And it is only six years since the procedure was introduced in Europe.
CoreValve banned, Edwards assures valve implants for German patients
An injunction against the sale of Medtronic's CoreValve and CoreValve Evolut systems in Germany went into effect as Edwards Lifesciences posted the bond required the District Court of Mannheim.
CT will remain an imaging heavyweight
Computed tomography (CT) is the modality of choice for many diagnostic issues. Whilst currently its major strength is the visualisation of anatomical detail, future technological improvements may also reduce radiation exposure.
The first human implantations of bioprosthetic artificial hearts
CARMAT, the designer and developer of the world’s most advanced project of total artificial heart, announces today that it has obtained the approval of four renowned international cardiac surgery centers in Belgium, Poland, Saudi Arabia and Slovenia to proceed with the first clinical implantations of its bioprosthetic total artificial heart.
Celebrating the 60th birthday of a fabulous lifesaver
This May it will be exactly 60 years since the first extracorporeal circulation device to temporarily replace heart/ lung function was successfully used in a clinical setting.
Survival of SAPIEN high-risk patients equivalent to surgery
Edwards Lifesciences Corporation, the global leader in the science of heart valves and hemodynamic monitoring, announced the three-year results of a pivotal clinical study of severe aortic stenosis patients at high-risk for surgery.
Genetic variation doubles risk of aortic valve calcification
Study described in The New England Journal of Medicine is the first to show cause-and-effect relationship between a gene variant and calcium deposits on the aortic valve.
Sepsis diagnosis and treatment
‘We need an ECG for Sepsis,’ urged Professor Konrad Reinhart during this year’s Anaesthesiology and Intensive Care Medicine (HAI) Congress in Berlin.
Article • Still a challenge
Perioperative anaesthesia for patients with heart failure
Can an anaesthetist treat a patient with heart failure (HF) without any specialist knowledge of cardiology? That was the question posed by Dr Florian Weis, from the Clinic of Anaesthesiology at the University Hospital of the Ludwig Maximilian University Munich, when lecturing on perioperative management of this patient group.
Ultrasound wins role in chemotherapy assessment
Step-by-step, ultrasound is advancing as an alternative for determining whether a cancer patient’s treatment is working or should be changed. Not everyone welcomes this disruptive new approach, John Brosky reports.
The needs of European hospitals are similar
Procedures, financing and cultural philosophies can shape the difference, Michael Reiter, Mark Nicholls, Eduardo de la Sota, Jane MacDougall report
Total artificial hearts and ventricular assist devices today
Artificial hearts, originally designed to bridge the time on the waiting list for a heart transplant, in recent years have increasingly become an independent treatment option for patients with chronic heart failure (HF).
TAVI's unsung hero
The Danish inventor of an aortic valve for transcatheter implantation (TAVI) gains recognition for his achievement by colleagues within the European Society of Cardiology
Total artificial hearts and ventricular assist devices today
Artificial hearts, originally designed to bridge the time on the waiting list for a heart transplant, in recent years have increasingly become an independent treatment option for patients with chronic heart failure (HF). Interview: Bettina Döbereiner
Entering the Champion's League
Accuvix A30 produces impressive results in the prenatal diagnostics arena and Samsung could become a serious contender in the ultrasound champions’ league.
Toshiba presents advances in Cardiac Imaging at ESC 2012
Cardiology is playing an increasingly important role in today’s healthcare environment and, as a direct result, cardiologists are facing new challenges almost every day. Addressing the need of improving clinician confidence and diagnostic accuracy, Toshiba Medical Systems Europe presented two symposia on the first day of the European Congress of Cardiology, to be held in Munich, Germany, 25-28…
Teamwork works well in Hamburg
One heart – One Team, the motto for this year’s German Society for Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery Congress emphasises that cardiac surgeons and cardiologists must now work more in tandem for their mutual patients. This is not just a short-lived three-day slogan, but a daily reality at the University Heart Centre Hamburg, as EH correspondent Holger Zorn reports
Advances in mitral valve replacement
Initially limited to the aortic valve, interventions are becoming routine for the mitral valve. Thus the only available product has enjoyed huge commercial success – until now. Report: Holger Zorn
Unnerved by denervation
Cardiologists are increasingly concerned about patients with persistent hypertension demanding a new technique, in the absence of clinical proof of its long-term benefit. As more related devices are launched, John Brosky reports on the procedure, drawbacks, and a potential €2 billion market.
Strategies for radiation dose reduction in vascular CT
Radiation dose reduction in CT angiography can be achieved by reducing the kV settings, reducing the tube voltage, the tube current and by using iterative reconstruction algorithms.
The PARTNER Trial
Cohort A and B Results. Aortic stenosis is characterised by the hardening and narrowing of the aortic valve that pumps blood into the body’s main artery. It affects nearly 5% of those over 75 in Europe, with an estimated 16,000 Britons suffering from severe aortic stenosis.
Feuding cardiologists
A €35,000 DRG reimbursement for TAVI has put Germany in the lead for this procedure – and prompted sharp competition and disputes between cardiologists and cardio-surgeons, Holger Zorn reports.
Congenital heart defects
The German Paediatric Heart Centre (DKHZ) is one of the largest of its kind in Europe. Over 25 years the centre has treated big and small patients with congenital heart defects, very now and then being faced with rare, individual cases that present very particular challenges. In any one year, consultant paediatric cardiologist Professor Martin Schneider MD encounters perhaps five such non-…
A conceptual shift for medical device manufacturers
Much has changed for medical device manufacturers. Take scanner development; whereas the aim has long been to increase multi-slices, produce higher field strengths and sharper images, optimise the ergonomics and then launch the new product at a specific group of customers, in recent years this approach became insufficient.
Article • Focus on TAVI
Transcatheder aortic valve implants
With transcatheder aortic valve implants (TAVI) forming some 20% of all heart valve replacement procedures today, and the technology constantly developing, the 'real art' to the intervention's success lies in precise patient selection and procedure performance carried out by a multi-disciplinary and effective team, according to Simon Redwood, Professor of the interventional cardiology at King's…
Strong international feedback gives “MedTech” industry tailwind for exports
Summing up results of the world’s biggest medical trade fair after four days (16 – 19 November 2011) Joachim Schäfer, Managing Director at Messe Düsseldorf, said: “The manufacturers of medical device technology, medical products and medical IT have once again used the framework of MEDICA in Düsseldorf to impressively evidence their operational excellence.
Imaging advances
SonoAce GmbH, the subsidiary of Samsung Medison based in Germany, has announced the development of two ‘outstanding new imaging technologies’
ESC roundup: Fixing heart conditions
Devices to treat chronic cardiac disease are winning credibility with new evidence from large-scale patient registries, John Brosky reports
MitraClip Therapy Demonstrates Benefits
Results of an observational study presented at the European Society of Cardiology (ESC) meeting in Paris demonstrate that the percutaneous catheter-based MitraClip treatment improves symptoms and promotes reverse left ventricular (LV) remodeling in patients with mitral regurgitation (MR), who do not respond to cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT).
Philips and Innovations in Heart Modeling*
Royal Philips Electronics provided clinicians from across the globe with a glimpse of future innovations designed to advance cardiac care, including the current management of cardiovascular disease (CVD) and associated cardiac conditions, during the 2011 Congress of the European Society of Cardiology (ESC).
Solutions for Sustainable Cardiovascular Care
Siemens Healthcare presented solutions for sustainable cardiovascular care at the European Society of Cardiology (ESC) congress in Paris, France, under the motto "Are you ready for the long run?". This includes all modern imaging technologies, in-vitro diagnostics, IT solutions and consulting services.
Trends in cardiac pacing
‘Sacrilegious meddling with divine providence’ was the charge brought against New York cardiologist Alfred Hyman in the 1930s when, after successful animal experiments, he applied the first cardiac pacemaker – then still a cumbersome external device – in human patients. A quarter of a century later the first cardiac pacemaker, mounted in a shoe polish tin and covered by epoxy resin, was…
Papworth Hospital: A constant continuing success
Recent events have again underlined the reason why Papworth Hospital in ambridgeshire, England, maintains a enowned international reputation for cardiac and thoracic procedures. As Britains largest specialist cardiothoracic hospitals, over 2,000 major heart operations were performed there in 2010. In the year ending 1 April 2011, 824 patients had coronary bypass operations, including urgent,…
‘Our products are competitive’
In recent years the ultrasound division of Siemens Healthcare appeared to be a Sleeping Beauty slumbering on in the shadow of large slice imaging equipment such as PET/CT and MR/PET, the medical technology giant’s favourite daughters. With many of the world’s wealthy princes, particularly from India, Brazil, China, and so on, knocking on Siemens’ doors, the giant has at last decided to wake…
Celebrating a 25-year-old ‘heart’
Initially meant to bridge the gap before a heart transplant is performed, today ventricular assist devices (VADs) are increasingly considered ‘a lasting therapy option’, according to Professor Heinrich Schima, Head of the Centre for Medical Physics and Biomedical Technology at the Medical University of Vienna.
Sharper scrutiny on valve repair
One year ago interventional cardiologists raised champagne glasses to celebrate the first publication of clinical evidence showing that transcatheter valve implants (TAVI) is safe and effective. In May at EuroPCR 2011, cardiologists raised magnifying glasses to look closer at further clinical results. John Brosky reports from Paris
Coronary heart disease
Bypass surgery figures declined again in 2010. Reason: Most coronary heart disease (CHD) patients are being treated by removal of the obstruction followed by stent implantation -- a situation criticised by Professor Jochen Cremer, first Vice President of the DGTHG (German Society for Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery).
New EU medical device legislation
The European Society of Cardiology (ESC) is calling for a single, co-ordinated European system to oversee the evaluation and approval of medical devices. The call is being made in a paper published online in the European Heart Journal reporting on a conference held by the ESC in January 2011 looking to increase the input of medical experts in developing medical device policy.
Early clinical experience with Edwards intuity valve system
Edwards Lifesciences Corporation, a global leader in the science of heart valves and hemodynamic monitoring, announced that interim data from a multi-center European prospective study of the investigational EDWARDS INTUITY Valve System showed promising results for patients undergoing surgical aortic valve replacement (AVR).
Heart replica ready for human tests
A little over three decades after the world's first human heart transplant (HT), Carmat’s life-size artificial heart, a mix of animal tissue, titanium and missile technology that perfectly replicate a human heart, might save the lives of thousands.
When the heart gives up
This April the 77th Annual Meeting of the German Cardiac Society (DGK) presented over 300 events with 1,800 speakers, covering the entire spectrum of cardiovascular diseases, from fundamental research to clinical routine. Professor Gerd Hasenfuss, Director of the Department of Cardiology and Pulmonology and Chair of the Heart Research Centre in Gottingen, particularly requested a focus on …
Catheter-based valve surgery
Transcatheter valve implants (TAVI) have encouraged a new group of patients. Previously inoperable, they may now receive adequate treatment. Some centres report a success rate close to the conventional open surgical procedure. Naturally, the long-term outcome is still unclear. Holger Zorn reports.
CT is set for a vital role in cardiology
Computed tomography (CT) is emerging as an imaging modality set to play an important role in cardiac intervention or surgery. Not only can it be used to plan complex revascularisation procedures and assess the outcome for the patient, but also might help to identify the more dangerous lesions -- so-called ‘culprits’ -- in the future.
Transcatheter aortic valve implants bear risks
Every year thousands of patients with less than one year to live are denied a heart valve replacement because they are too frail to undergo surgery. These patients tend to be over 75 years of age and suffering from multiple health problems, such as respiratory conditions that preclude general anaesthesia, end-stage failure of liver or kidneys, or a history of coronary surgery. Two years ago they…
Minimizing heart surgery to maximize patient outcomes
The increasing importance of interdisciplinary cooperation between heart surgeons and interventional cardiologists was convincingly demonstrated during the Medica Congress session dedicated to “Update in Valvular Heart Disease.”
Pocket-size echocardiography
When a patient needs transthoracic or transoesophageal echocardiograms there are two options – transportation to an ultrasound machine in the echo lab, or wheeling a machine to the bedside. Now there is a third option. The new Vscan from GE Healthcare is a hand-held ultrasound device that is pocket-size; cardiologists can carry with them at all times, enabling ultrasound to be a part of any…
Hybrid operating theatres
In technical terms ‘hybrid’ is a system that connects two technologies so they may benefit from each other. This also applies to the newest generation of operating theatre*: hybrid OTs combine diagnostic and surgical facilities that are usually found in separate locations. Thus procedures can be carried out in less time and involve less discomfort and risk for the patient.
MPR 3-D echocardiography
A cardiologist at a UK hospital has become the first in the world to develop a technique to ‘slice’ 3-D images of the heart into intricate sections using computer software. The method, devised by consultant congenital cardiologist Dr Joseph Vettukattil at Southampton General Hospital, is known as multiplane review (MPR) 3-D echocardiography. This allows cardiologists to identify heart defects…
Heart in hand
Surgeon Alain Carpentier is ready to remove a patient’s heart and replace it with a mechanical device he spent 15 years developing. By 2013 the procedure will be performed on 50 European patients as part of a clinical trial to win CE approval for the world’s first fully implantable artificial heart.
Aortic valve replacement in the third dimension
No white lab coats anywhere; instead men in hard hats, equipped with hammers and drills. The Düsseldorf University Hospital’s Cardiology Pneumology and Angiology Clinic is a construction site, but once the workmen have packed up their tools and removed the scaffolding the view to the human heart will be unobstructed and clearer than ever before. Here, innovative patient care and a highly…
New imaging software from Siemens simplifies workflow for minimally invasive heart valve implantation
At ESC, Siemens presents a new image processing software that helps cardiologists and cardiac surgeons prepare and perform transcatheter aortic valve implantations (TAVI): Syngo Aortic ValveGuide automatically reconstructs a 3D representation of the aortic root from CT-like cross-sectional images acquired with the angiography system.
Getting to the heart of things
Not only is heart failure one of the single biggest causes of morbidity and mortality in man, but the incidence of the condition is steadily increasing. Rising to this challenge, innovative medical diagnostic techniques with ever greater performance are constantly being introduced so that early, unambiguous detection of the underlying condition is now possible, enabling the prompt initiation of…
EuroPCR highlights rapid advances in MIS on a beating heart
The landmark achievements in interventional cardiology that are rapidly advancing minimally invasive surgeries (MIS) on a beating heart were demonstrated during a Paris course on revascularisation (EuroPCR), the annual meeting of the European Association of Percutaneous Cardiovascular Interventions (EAPCI).
The Surgical Planning Unit
Surgical planning is complex. Today’s surgeons can utilise information from various sources – including CT and MRI images, as well as f-MRI, PET or electro-physiological signals. For minimally invasive surgery (MIS) these additional imaging data are of particular importance, in that they enable precise navigation within the body.
Dutch cardiology network enables real-time consultations
Physicians connected with the Friesland Regional Cardiology Network can now consult in real- time with specialists at the regional medical centre to determine the best course of treatment for their patients. The cardiology network not only speeds up the referral process and improves both diagnosis and the clinical decision process, but also is credited with reducing the length of stay for…
What´s hot in cardiology?
Hot topics to be covered during the EuroPCR Forum sessions are the challenging implementation of the best standard of care for STEMI patients throughout Europe (with the timely use of stents), the introduction of transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) in clinical practice and the challenges related to bifurcation treatment options.
EuroPCR 2010
The cardiovascular community gathers in Paris May 25th-28th for EuroPCR. EuroPCR is the leading course in interventional cardiology. It is also the official congress of the European Association of Percutaneous Cardiovascular Interventions (EAPCI). More than 12,000 participants will learn about the latest developments in the field and engage in discussions and constructive debate about the best…
GE’s Vscan takes ultrasound anywhere
Although small, Vscan is a prescription device for ultrasound imaging, measurement and analysis in the clinical applications of abdominal, cardiac (adult and paediatric), urological, foetal/OB, paediatric and thoracic/pleural motion and fluid detection, as well as for patient exams in primary care and special care areas.
Imaging and computing power leading to breakthroughs for cardiac surgery
Two members of the Heart Center at the University of Leipzig teamed up during Medica for a tour de force presentation on Future Trends in Cardiac Surgery. "The aim of the game is opening the chest through little keyholes to operate in the most minimally invasive way possible and avoid sternotomy," said Prof. Friedrich Mohr, Program Director at the Leipzig Heart Center, who review new surgical…
Transcatheter aortic valve implantation
Today, transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) represents an effective therapeutic alternative to conventional aortic valve replacement for patients who are at high risk or with contraindications to surgery, and the combination of the transfemoral and transapical approaches further increases the number of patients who can be treated.
Mitral regurgitation
A pioneering new treatment to repair leaking heart valves is being performed at a UK hospital as part of a clinical research trial. The minimally-invasive procedure to treat mitral regurgitation involves surgeons passing a device through a vein in the neck and into a patient's heart.
Unfavourable findings on U.S. hospitals
The Leapfrog Group is a U.S. organisation of member companies that pay for healthcare services, e.g. corporations, health insurers and local, state and federal government agencies. Established in 2000, its philosophy is that big 'leaps' in healthcare safety, quality and value to patients will be recognised and rewarded. The organisation mobilises purchasing power of its members, representing over…
Barco advance the frontiers of telemedicine
MultiSense Communications, a medical conferencing solutions provider based in High Wycombe, UK, in conjunction with medical imaging specialist Barco, recently demonstrated the clinical benefits of today's telemedicine systems. During a live open heart surgery operation at the Imperial College Hospital in Hammersmith, UK, an entire heart valve repair procedure was captured and transmitted to a…
Heart pump with air propulsion
A tiny heart catheter pump which supports the human heart in critical conditions while pumping has been developed at the Vienna University of Technology. The pump may not be larger than five millimetres and no longer than 45 millimetres at a ratio of 1:1. The aim was to avoid the development of heat which is caused by heart pumps that are driven by an electric motor.
A multimodal approach strengthens non-invasive diagnostics
Echocardiography is the work horse of non-invasive cardiovascular diagnostics. Has this developed?
EuroPCR 2009
EuroPCR 2009 is focused on minimally invasive cardiac surgery, but narrowing the broad field of cardiology does not make this conference any less complex.
Non surgical mitral valve repair: First enrollment in ACCESS-Europe study
Evalve, Inc., the leader in the development of devices for the percutaneous repair of cardiac valves, announced the first enrollment in the ACCESS-Europe study, a post-market observational study of the MitraClip therapy in Europe. The system is the first commercially available treatment option for non-surgical mitral valve repair for patients suffering from the effects of functional and…
Hybrid approach to treat coronary artery disease
Patients with coronary artery disease -- blockages of the vessels that feed the heart -- can be treated in a number of ways. With their doctor, they decide on the best course of action: surgery, stent placement or medication. Sometimes, a combination of these is the best approach.
Live 3-D trans-oesophageal echocardiography
In 2007, Professor Andreas Franke, of Aachen University Medical Center, Germany, was the first cardiologist in Europe to perform minimally invasive cardiac catheterisation procedures under live 3-D ultrasound guidance.
The power of cardiac imaging and the invasive cardiologist
Progress in cardiac imaging diagnostics has made cardiac catheterisation less common. What may sound like 'fishing in foreign territory' is in reality the chance for interventional cardiologists to concentrate on, and specialise in, more innovative invasive procedures.
Tenth Fresenius Inventors' Fair to showcase ideas from researchers and inventors at MEDICA
The Fresenius Inventors' Fair is held every two years during MEDICA. This year 20 researchers, developers and inventors from all over the world will have the opportunity to present their ideas to the huge MEDICA audience.
Targeting market needs
In October, the office of the Federal President announced that Professor Haverich, with his Hanover research team, has been nominated for the 'German Future Prize' for the development and successful use of adaptable biological heart valves
Further increase in number of exhibitors
The COMPAMED, the leading specialist international trade fair for suppliers to the medical manufacturing market, is held parallel to the MEDICA, the world's largest medical trade fair, each year and showcases the dynamism and innovative power of the medical technology sector. The COMPAMED 2008, High tech solutions for medical technology, will, with around 500 exhibitors from 30 nations, once…
The success story of the transcatheter aortic valve replacement
It seems like the innovative non surgical technique of transcatheter aortic valve replacement heralds the start for radical changes in the field of valvular heart disease. Promising results from different clinical studys underline the positive impact.
Mitral valve repair is the treatment of choice
"Surgery should be performed using as often as possible surgical mitral valve repair, as this treatment has shown safety, efficacy and good long-term results," says French Prof Alec Vahanian on Monday, the third ESC day.
New concept in the treatment of aortic valve disease
Transapical aortic valve implantation (TA-AVI) is a new therapeutic strategy, which has been implemented successfully into clinical practice in several hundred patients suffering symptomatic aortic stenosis and an increase perioperative risk during the past two years. The Edwards SAPIEN™ prosthesis has been used.
euHeart
Royal Philips Electronics is to lead `euHeart´, the new European Union (EU) funded research project that aims to improve CVD diagnosis, therapy planning and treatment.
Article • Varicose veins
Promising way of treating male infertility
Varicose veins in testicles are common and harmless in most of the cases. But they can be the reason for unwanted childlessness. Venous embolization, a minimally invasive treatment, offers the opportunity to improve male fertility, as a study from the University of Bonn, Germany, shows.
First magnetic navigation catheter intervention in child
Ten-year-old Tobias smiles brightly at the photographer. And so do the two physicians next to him. They have good reason to be proud as they were the first surgeons worldwide to treat a very serious congenital heart defect in a child by guiding a catheter with the help of a magnetic navigation system into small lung vessels.
Russian surgeons perform cardiac autotransplantation to treat giant left atrium, severe mitral and tricuspid regurgitation
Arrythmogenic remodelling of the left atrium is a common complication of atrial fibrillation, leading to severe haemodynamic disturbances.
Use that toothbrush!
Since the 1950s, the American Heart Association (AHA) has urged a large number of people to take antibiotics before dental work or other procedures that could flood the bloodstream with bacteria. This antibiotic intake was thought to prevent infective endocarditis.
Cardiac Diagnostic Imaging - Significance of ultrasound
Some of the medical procedures and equipment showcased and discussed at the MEDICA 2007 are sure to provide medical experts with plenty of discussion material. In cardiac diagnostic imaging a minor revolution is taking place, with ultrasound procedures increasing in significance. But innovation in x-ray methods is also continuing.
Cardiac Multislice Computed Tomography (MSCT) Angiography
Spiral computed tomography first allowed the seamless acquisition of entire volumina without first separating them into individual slices. With the newest generation of MSCT devices having the 16-slice technology, short gantry rotation time of < 0.5 seconds, and a high performance processor, it is now possible to acquire large amounts of data in a short period of time with high spatial and…
Cops hunt "cash for ops" surgeons
France - The country's health ministry is facing growing calls for a full public inquiry after allegations that surgeons have been demanding huge cash payments from patients keen to jump hospital waiting lists, and for charging exorbitant fees for "private" operations.
Cardiac diagnostics: MRI, CT or echocardiography?
Thanks to more precise imaging, cardiac diagnostics is becoming more reliable and technological advances in imaging procedures are rapid.
The pulseless life
New pulsatile heart pumps (ventricular assist devices - VAD) can remain in the body as a permanent heart support.
Vision Inside the Heart
A small, powerful new ultrasound catheter, named AcuNav 8F, improves access to the entire heart, Siemens Medical Solutions reports.
Revised ACC/AHA/ESC guidelines on atrial fibrillation
Stroke risk should determine anti-clotting treatment for people with irregular heartbeat.
World Congress of Cardiology 2006
Professor Raimung Erbel, of the West GErman Heart Centre Esse, Duisburg University Hospital aobut the hot topics of this years´congress.
Drug therapy for heart-endangering staphylococcus infections
Researchers demonstrated the effectiveness and safety of a new drug for treating bloodstream and heart infections caused by Staphylococcus aureus bacteria.
Single image/data management system integrates major medical fields
IMPAX Enterprise - a single image and data management system that draws together radiology, cardiology, orthopaedics, and women's care.
Tissue engineering in paediatric cardiac surgery
When heart valves need replacing mechanical or biological heart valves are usually used. Both have disadvantages: Mechanical prostheses promote the development of blood clots so that patients need anticoagulant treatment for their lifetime.
The transcatheter paediatric heart valve
Many companies are competing to develop the ideal transcatheter heart valve and catheter-based valve replacement procedures, which are revolutionizing valve replacement for larger patients.
Seeking a compatible heart
Transplant surgeons use checklists to establish whether donor and recipient hearts are compatible - almost like people looking for suitable partners.
Biotechnology for regenerative surgery
Tissue engineering caused a stir at the 34th Annual Meeting of the Germany Society for Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery.
The electronic stethoscope
A processing system said to pick up cardiac sounds and correlate these with any related abnormalities, e.g. valve defects, stenosis, fibrillation, septal defect, etc, has been developed by the US firm Biosignetics Corporation.
50 years of open heart surgery
Fifty years ago Henry Gibbon introduced a vital tool for cardiac surgery - the heart-lung machine. While pioneering efforts were made in the first half of the 20th century, this equipment enabled reproducible operations for either congenital or acquired heart disease in many patients.
Article • Research, diagnostics, therapies
Focus on Cardiology
Arrhythmias, valve defects, heart attacks: Cardiologists face a wide range of disorders and diseases. Equally diverse are diagnostics and therapeutic options. Find out what the field has to offer.