Non-Surgical Approach Can Treat Lung Cancers Jun 18, 2008
In the study, expected to be published in the July edition of The Lancet Oncology, 88 percent of lung cancer patients responded well to treatment with percutaneous image-guided radiofrequency ablation (RFA). RFA is performed in less than an hour and is a non-surgical procedure that targets large tumors with no harm to surrounding healthy tissue. (Health-Finder)
Artery-Opening Method Works Well in Women Jun 11, 2008
The study in the June 17 issue of the Journal of the American College of Cardiology is a marker in a fading debate about the value for women of what cardiologists call percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), in which a balloon-tipped catheter is inserted to open a blocked blood vessel. Older studies have reported a lower use of PCI for women and a higher death rate for those getting the intervention. (MEDLINEplus)
Screening for Down Syndrome Jun 8, 2008
If the risk is high, the physician may recommend diagnostic testing such as chorionic villus sampling (CVS), amniocentesis or percutaneous umbilical blood sampling (PUBS). The copyright of the article Screening for Down Syndrome in General Medicine is owned by. (Suite101.com)
New technique for heart attacks Jun 8, 2008
7 per cent who received the usual treatment percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) ... The article reported on the one-year follow-up from a called the Thrombus Aspiration during Percutaneous coronary intervention in Acute myocardial infarction Study (TAPAS) ... Percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) is suitable for some patients with heart attacks: those that have a catheter (tube) inserted in the groin and fed into the coronary artery where a balloon is inflated to re-open the artery. (NHS Choices)
Sucking out Clot Debris Helps Heart Attack Patients Jun 7, 2008
All 1,071 people in the trial were given emergency treatment called percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) for the kind of heart attack formally called ST-elevation myocardial infarction, a term that refers to the pattern traced out by an electrocardiogram. The usual treatment is insertion of a balloon-tipped catheter to reopen the blocked coronary artery. (MEDLINEplus)
Medical Center Hospital receives Chest Pain Center accreditation May 29, 2008
"The Chest Pain Center Accreditation was a project that they themselves pursued and achieved. The CPC Accreditation speaks to the professionalism and dedication of the staff in the CPC, as well as the collegiality of the staff in The Center for Heart Disease. (Chest Pain Center, ED, ED physicians, Cardiology and the Cath Lab)." Neckels continued "It is the coordination of these departments and the relationships between these departments that allowed us to be successful not just in getting... (Odessa American, TX)
Portsmouth Regional Hospital gets low marks May 27, 2008
Portsmouth gave PCI (Percutaneous coronary intervention, which is often the first treatment of choice for a type of heart attack that occurs when one of the coronary arteries is completely blocked, according the American Heart Association) in only 47 percent of the cases, while Exeter gave PCI to 93 percent of those with this type of heart attack and Wentworth-Douglass gave it in 67 percent of these cases. The goal of PCI is to prevent the death of heart muscle cells by restoring coronary blood... (Seacoast New Hampshire)
Cardiac Rehab Referrals Up, But Not Enrollment May 24, 2008
Among the factors associated with higher referral rates were inpatient physical therapy consultation and percutaneous coronary intervention, also referred to as angioplasty, which involves insertion of a catheter into the coronary artery to remove the blockage that caused the heart attack. The researchers point out that referral rates were higher than the 10 to 15 percent reported in other studies. (MEDLINEplus)
Findings released from 1 of the largest percutaneous coronary intervention trials ever May 24, 2008
HORIZONS-AMI is the largest study ever to focus on the appropriate use of anticoagulant medications in patients experiencing STEMI and undergoing primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). Only 7. (EurekAlert!)
Mixed Results for Anti-Clotting Drugs in Heart Attacks May 23, 2008
They are supposed to get what used to be called angioplasty and now goes by the formal medical name of percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), in which a balloon-tipped catheter is threaded into a blocked artery, preferably within three hours of the attack. That goal is hard to achieve in many cases, often because a hospital equipped for PCI isn't close enough. (MEDLINEplus)
Biopure Announces 2008 Second Quarter Financial Results May 22, 2008
The paper is entitled "Proof-of-concept trial to evaluate haemoglobin based oxygen therapeutics in elective percutaneous coronary revascularization. Rationale, protocol design, and haemodynamic results." The manuscript was authored by principal investigator Patrick W. Serruys, MD, PhD and colleagues of the Department of Interventional Cardiology, Erasmus Medical Centre, Rotterdam, The Netherlands. The paper concluded that this trial represents an important next step in the clinical development... (PR Newswire)
Antithrombotic Therapy to Support Primary PCI May 22, 2008
1,2 The selection of the reperfusion strategy, either the preferred percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) or fibrinolysis, is usually driven by institutional access to primary PCI. Thus, the decision that clinicians most commonly grapple with at the time of the patient's presentation is the selection of adjunctive anticoagulant and antiplatelet therapy ... Bivalirudin Alone During Primary Percutaneous Coronary Intervention. (New England Journal of Medicine)
Bivalirudin during PCI for Acute Myocardial Infarction May 22, 2008
Background Treatment with the direct thrombin inhibitor bivalirudin, as compared with heparin plus glycoprotein IIb/IIIa inhibitors, results in similar suppression of ischemia while reducing hemorrhagic complications in patients with stable angina and non ST-segment elevation acute coronary syndromes who are undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). The safety and efficacy of bivalirudin in high-risk patients are unknown. (New England Journal of Medicine)
Thrombolytic Therapy and Primary PCI May 22, 2008
Sir Winston Churchill once said, "It's not enough that we do our best; sometimes we have to do what is required." Such a sentiment underlies the premise of facilitated percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), a therapeutic strategy of pharmacologic thrombolysis before mechanical intervention for the treatment of ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction ... Facilitated Percutaneous Coronary Intervention for ST-Segment-Elevation MI: Achieving Closure. (New England Journal of Medicine)
Sahajanand Medical Technologies PAINT Trial Results Support Safety and Efficacy of the Infinnium and Supralimus Stents May 21, 2008
Ltd. (SMT), Surat, India, leading developer and manufacturer of drug-eluting stents, welcomed the positive results of the prospective, randomized nine months results of PAINT trial (PercutAneous INTervention with biodegradable- polymer based paclitaxel-eluting, sirolimus-eluting, or bare stents for the treatment of de novo coronary lesions). The PAINT study was designed with a unique 3-arm format that allows the evaluation of three stents that only differ on the presence and/or type of drug (all... (PR Newswire)
First Veterinary Corneal Implant Procedure In U.S. Performed On Dog May 14, 2008
29, 2007) The veterinary hospital at Oklahoma State University's Center for Veterinary Health Sciences offers percutaneous laser disc ablation surgery for canines and is the sole provider worldwide of the. (Feb. (Science Daily)
ASGE issues updated guidelines on antibiotic prophylaxis for gastrointestinal endoscopy May 14, 2008
Examples of these special situations are prevention of cholangitis after ERCP with incomplete drainage of bile duct obstruction, prevention of pancreatic cyst infection after fine needle aspirate at endoscopic ultrasound or after injection of contrast at ERCP, and prior to placement of a percutaneous feeding tube placement. ASGE Guidelines. (EurekAlert!)
Mitral Valve Leak Repaired Through Tiny Puncture Hole Using Live 3D Images May 13, 2008
The minimally invasive technique is called a percutaneous paravalvular leak repair, and it is performed in a catheterization lab rather than in an operating room. The duct occluder is made of a metal mesh that holds its place once deployed in the leak. (Science Daily)
Patients Arriving At Hospitals In Off Hours Get Slower, Less Care Apr 23, 2008
After adjusting for baseline characteristics, patients arriving during off hours were 7 percent less likely to undergo primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) and 6 percent less likely to undergo PCI or another type of revascularization called coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) compared with patients arriving during regular hours. "Emergency angioplasty, or PCI, is the preferred procedure after an ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction, which is a heart attack caused by a... (Science Daily)
Patients Receive Heart Valve Replacements Without Surgery Using High-tech Device Apr 21, 2008
We were able to successfully implant the Edwards SAPIEN transcatheter heart valve percutaneously in the first three patients treated in this trial ... 23, 2007) Three new studies evaluate a rapidly advancing field within interventional cardiology: percutaneous procedures to repair and replace defective heart valves ... Percutaneous valve procedures, which are. (Science Daily)
Primary PCI in ST-Segment Elevation MI Apr 17, 2008
7% of patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction when paramedics interpreted the electrocardiograms (ECGs) and directly referred the patients to a percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) center, as compared with 11. 9% of patients referred from emergency departments of the area's hospitals (including the PCI center). (New England Journal of Medicine)
New Technique In Treating Patients With Liver Cancer Proves Effective, Study Suggests Apr 15, 2008
9, 2006) Percutaneous radiofrequency ablation, a procedure that uses a high frequency electric current to kill tumor cells, is effective in achieving local control in selected patients with metastasis from. (Mar. (Science Daily)
New equipment approved for heart attack victims Apr 11, 2008
The comprehensive cardiac care system would designate the hospitals as ST-Segment Elevation Myocardial Infarction, or STEMI, receiving centers capable of performing an emergency cardiac catheterization method known as percutaneous coronary intervention, a procedure used to reopen clogged arteries. Receiving this procedure, which uses a catheter threaded into the coronary artery to open the blockage, within 90 minutes of arrival at a hospital is believed to result in a 38 percent reduction in the... (Palo Alto Online, CA)
SAPPHIRE trial shows long-term benefit of carotid stenting as alternative to surgery Apr 11, 2008
Carotid artery stenting is a non-surgical, percutaneous procedure in which a small plastic tube called a catheter is inserted through an artery in the leg and threaded to the blockage in the neck. A thin wire (guidewire), which has a collapsible umbrella-like filter device attached to its end, is advanced passed the blockage. (EurekAlert!)
Platelet Activation and Atherothrombosis Apr 10, 2008
In one study, after percutaneous coronary intervention, combination therapy for 1 year was associated with a 26. 9% relative reduction in the combined risk of death, myocardial infarction, or stroke. (New England Journal of Medicine)
New data on 3M's Tegaderm CHG Apr 8, 2008
3M Tegaderm CHG has not been studied in a randomized clinical study as to its effectiveness in preventing CR-BSIs or other percutaneous device-related infections. Tegaderm CHG IV Securement Dressing combines the powerful antimicrobial protection of CHG with the simplicity of Tegaderm film dressings, making it easy to use. (EurekAlert! -- Business News)
Vascular Solutions Wins $4.5 Million Jury Verdict in Litigation With Marine Polymer Technologies Apr 8, 2008
New products introduced since the second half of 2003 include the D-Stat Dry hemostatic bandage used for the rapid control of topical bleeding, the Pronto extraction catheter for the aspiration of soft thrombus, the Vari-Lase endovenous laser product line for the treatment of varicose veins, the Langston dual lumen specialty catheter for the measurement of aortic stenosis and the Twin-Pass dual access specialty catheter for dual wire access in percutaneous procedures. The information in this... (Primezone Releases)
Momenta Pharmaceuticals Announces Presentation of M118 Phase 1 Results At the American Society for Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics Annual Meeting Apr 4, 2008
One of the key findings from the study was that an Activated Clotting Time (ACT) reading of greater than 200 seconds was achieved in the higher dose cohorts, suggesting that an intravenous bolus administration of M118 can produce ACT levels comparable to levels expected with standard heparin doses used in conjunction with Percutaneous Coronary Intervention (PCI) procedures ... The multi-center Phase 2a trial, or EMINENCE (Evaluation on M118 IN pErcutaNeous Coronary IntErvention), is expected to... (Primezone Releases)
Heart Bypass Surgery Doesn't Cause Mental Decline Apr 4, 2008
com - Heart Bypass Surgery Doesnause Mental Decline. On a Handheld Device. (Newsmax)
Angioplasty Proves Reasonable Alternative to Bypass Surgery Apr 2, 2008
MONDAY, March 31 (HealthDay News) -- For patients with blockages in the left main coronary artery, percutaneous coronary intervention -- PCI, often referred to as angioplasty -- may be a viable alternative to bypass surgery ... Current guidelines recommend coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) over percutaneous coronary intervention unless a previous graft has been performed ... Percutaneous coronary intervention, which refers to a number of procedures used to treat arteries, is usually... (MEDLINEplus)
Is PCI Safe, Effective After Clot-Busters for Heart Attack? Mar 31, 2008
Largest-ever study re-evaluates this important question with today's technology CHICAGO, March 30 /PRNewswire/ -- Percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) -- which uses a combination of catheter-mounted balloons and stents to open a completely blocked coronary artery and restore blood flow to the heart -- is the best treatment for heart attack when performed rapidly. However, few hospitals can meet the 90-minute treatment goal unless they have a cardiac catheterization laboratory on site. (PR Newswire)
Device That Clears Debris From Artery Aids Blood Flow in PCI Mar 31, 2008
Better clinical results with Export Aspiration Catheter hold up at one year CHICAGO, March 30 /PRNewswire/ -- Use of a special catheter that sucks out, or aspirates, bits of plaque and blood clot that break loose during percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) significantly enhances blood flow deep in the heart muscle in patients who are experiencing a heart attack, according to a recently published study. Now, a new analysis of the Thrombus Aspiration during Percutaneous Coronary Intervention... (PR Newswire)
Filter Fails to Improve PCI Outcomes in Acute Coronary Syndromes Mar 31, 2008
Windsock-like device catches debris but doesn't avoid damage to heart muscle CHICAGO, March 30 /PRNewswire/ -- A device that catches bits of plaque and blood clot that break loose during percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) has failed to show that it can reduce rates of major cardiovascular complications in patients with acute coronary syndromes, a condition that encompasses unstable angina and a type of heart attack known as non-ST-elevation myocardial infarction (NSTEMI). Although the EZ... (PR Newswire)
BRAVE-3 Questions Value of Abciximab in PCI for Heart Attack Mar 31, 2008
With high-dose clopidogrel, the intravenous anti-platelet drug appears unnecessary CHICAGO, March 30 /PRNewswire/ -- Over the years, interventional cardiologists have made many improvements in percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) for patients with heart attack, among the most important, refinements in the selection and administration of drugs that prevent unwanted blood clotting. Now a new study has found that high loading doses of clopidogrel, an oral medication that inhibits blood clots by... (PR Newswire)
Drug-Eluting Stents Outperform Bare Stents in Heart Attack Mar 31, 2008
Anti-clotting drug tirofiban also edges abciximab CHICAGO, March 30 /PRNewswire/ -- New evidence from a large randomized study is answering important questions about the best approach to percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) in patients with a type of heart attack known as ST-segment-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). In the study, drug-eluting stents outperformed bare-metal stents, and high-dose tirofiban, an anti-clotting medication, proved to be equally effective and have fewer side... (PR Newswire)
Tailored Clopidogrel Dosing Improves PCI Outcomes Mar 30, 2008
Blood test monitors each patient's response to anti-clotting drug CHICAGO, March 29 /PRNewswire/ -- Using a simple blood test to individualize the loading dose of a medication that prevents blood clotting significantly reduces the risk of major cardiovascular complications after percutaneous coronary interventions (PCI), according to a multicenter study reported today in a Late-Breaking Clinical Trials session at the SCAI Annual Scientific Sessions in Partnership with ACC i2 Summit (SCAI-ACCi2)... (PR Newswire)
Study Finds PCI Safe, Effective Despite Off-Site Cardiac Surgery Mar 30, 2008
Quality of PCI program is critical CHICAGO, March 29 /PRNewswire/ -- Percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) can be performed safely and successfully in medical centers without on-site cardiac surgical back-up, provided programs are well-organized, highly skilled and committed to quality. These are the findings of the largest clinical study ever to compare PCI programs that have on-site cardiac surgery to PCI programs that transfer patients to a surgical hospital in case of emergency. (PR Newswire)
ISAR-REACT 3 Pits Bivalirudin vs. Unfractionated Heparin in PCI Mar 30, 2008
CHICAGO, March 29 /PRNewswire/ -- A large randomized trial will shed light on the ideal combination of medications for preventing unwanted blood clotting during and shortly after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). Specifically, study investigators expect to determine whether bivalirudin, a direct inhibitor of the clotting protein thrombin, is better than unfractionated heparin, an indirect thrombin inhibitor, in patients who have also been treated with high-dose clopidogrel. (PR Newswire)
Largest Ever Analysis Of DES Data Demonstrates Safety, Efficacy In On-and-off-label Use Mar 30, 2008
2, 2007) The use of slow-release drugs in stents (drug-eluting stents) has dramatically reduced restenosis rates after percutaneous coronary intervention. However, these permanent metal devices may impair. (Science Daily)
New Drug Shows Promise in Use With Coronary Stents Mar 29, 2008
"These data highlight the importance of aggressive antiplatelet therapy to reduce ischemic events in patients with acute coronary syndromes undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention," the study authors concluded. "When balancing risks and benefits of strategies to prevent ischemic events, consideration should be given to patient characteristics, including risk of bleeding and ischemic events as well as stent and procedural characteristics.". (Health-Finder)
Research To Lead To Brain Tumor Therapies Mar 25, 2008
(May 1, 2006) Percutaneous cryoablation, a relatively non-invasive technique that destroys tumors by freezing them, is a safe method for treating kidney tumors in selected patients who are not considered. (May 22, 2005) The use of expandable electrodes with multiple tips in the treatment of liver tumors by radiofrequency ablation (RFA) is safe and effective, making it a useful alternative to surgery in selected. (Science Daily)
Drug Therapy Boosting Heart-Attack Survival Rates Mar 25, 2008
"We know that PCI [percutaneous coronary intervention, or angioplasty] improves survival in the acute phase of a heart attack," Maron said. "The best short-term therapy is reperfusion, preferably with PCI. As a complement to that, there needs to be long-term therapy for atherosclerosis.". (Health-Finder)
Treatment Gives Lung Cancer Patients With Inoperable Tumors Two Years Or More, Study Shows Mar 23, 2008
The study Long-term Follow-up After Percutaneous Pulmonary Radiofrequency Ablation was presented at the Society of Interventional Radiology s 33rd Annual Scientific Meeting on March 17, 2008. Adapted from materials provided by. (Science Daily)
Cardium Reports on Recent Highlights and Financial Results Mar 15, 2008
Corgentin is a DNA therapeutic based on the localized and sustained cardiac production of insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) following a single intracoronary administration in an acute care setting immediately after percutaneous coronary intervention in heart attack patients. Financial Report For the year ended December 31, 2007, Cardium reported net operating losses totaling $25. (PR Newswire)
Statins Exert Class Effect in Heart Failure Mar 15, 2008
The protection afforded by statin treatment persisted after Pilote and colleagues excluded patients with a prior heart attack, percutaneous coronary intervention, or coronary artery bypass graft surgery within the 3 years before or during they were hospitalized. "Our study demonstrates that statins exert a class effect in patients with CHF, at relatively low dose," the investigators conclude. (MEDLINEplus)
New 300mg Loading Dose Tablet for Plavix(R) Receives Positive Opinion From the European Committee for Medicinal Products (CHMP) Mar 5, 2008
The new 300mg tablet will facilitate the use of the approved loading dose of Plavix(R) and the early initiation as recommended by national and international guidelines in appropriate patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS), including those with unstable angina / non-ST segment elevation myocardial infarction (managed with percutaneous intervention (PCI) with or without stent or medically managed) and ST segment elevation myocardial infarction patients. The 300mg tablet is bioequivalent to... (PR Newswire)
Cardiogenesis Corporation Reports Delay in Earnings Release and Conference Call Mar 1, 2008
Surgical products and accessories for the company's minimally invasive Percutaneous Myocardial Channeling (PMC) procedure are currently being marketed in Europe and other international markets. For more information on the company and its products, please visit the Cardiogenesis company website at or the direct to patient website at. (PR Newswire)
Polk EMS honored for fast transport times Feb 29, 2008
This technique, percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), is credited for reducing fatalities from cardiac arrest. This procedure involves inserting a balloon catheter, with which a physician is able to remove a blood clot and install. (Cedartown Standard, GA)
Oldest Patients Fare Well After Heart Valve Surgery Feb 27, 2008
Surgeons are investigating a less invasive version of the surgery known as percutaneous valve replacement, which remains in the experimental stages, the researcher noted. Some have argued for testing the procedure in older people, he added, based on the assumption that these patients don't have long to live so it won't matter as much if the repair doesn't last. (MEDLINEplus)
UK heart doctor, journal bound for St. Joseph's Feb 26, 2008
In particular, a procedure that allows replacement of heart valves without surgery -- known as percutaneous valve replacement -- likely will be a popular subject for the journal. "That is one reason why I accepted the position; the journal is a perfect place to share knowledge on the subject with the community," he said. (Twin Cities Business Journal, MN)
The importance of left ventricular function in long-termprognosis after primary percutaneous coronary intervention Feb 24, 2008
The importance of left ventricular function in long-term prognosis after primary percutaneous coronary intervention ... In the present study we sought to determine the long-term prognostic value of left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF), assessed by planar radionuclide ventriculography (PRV), after ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) treated with primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PPCI). (BioMed Central)
Dramatic Improvement In Aortic Valve Surgery Using Least Invasive Valve Replacement Procedure, Study Shows Feb 14, 2008
Lead author Eugene Grossi, M.D., Professor of Cardiothoracic Surgery and Director of Cardiac Surgical Research at NYU Medical Center, stated percutaneous aortic valve replacement (PAVR) trials are ongoing in patients with elevated EuroSCOREs ... Clinical trials for using Percutaneous Valve Procedures for high risk aortic valve replacement must include randomized surgical controls and have long-term endpoints ... 23, 2007) Three new studies evaluate a rapidly advancing field within interventional... (Science Daily)
Patients At Increased Risk Of Heart Attack Within 3 Months After Stopping Clopidogrel Therapy, Study Shows Feb 11, 2008
Randomized trials have established the effectiveness of clopidogrel therapy following hospitalization for acute coronary syndrome (ACS) for patients treated either medically or with percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI - procedures such as balloon angioplasty or stent placement used to open narrowed coronary arteries) ... (May 14, 2007) Pretreatment with double-dose anticlotting medication just before percutaneous coronary intervention cuts the combined risk of heart attack and cardiac death... (Science Daily)
Novel Compound May Lessen Heart Attack Damage, Initial Tests Show Feb 9, 2008
The drug, known as KAI-9803, blocks the activity of an enzyme called delta protein kinase C that triggers cell and tissue death in the aftermath of percutaneous coronary intervention, or PCI. PCI is a set of procedures including balloon angioplasty and stent placement that clear and prop open clogged coronary blood vessels that lead to a heart attack -- a process known as reperfusion. Although the trial (known as DELTA-MI) was not designed to demonstrate the efficacy of KAI-9803, researchers say... (Science Daily)
Increased Risk of Death When Plavix Stopped Feb 7, 2008
Study groups included those treated medically and those who underwent percutaneous interventions. Both groups showed dramatic increase in incidence of myocardial infarction and death in the first 90 days following cessation of clopidogrel therapy, as compared to the period after the first three months. (MedHeadlines)
Common Drug-releasing Coronary Stents Appear To Have Similar Clinical Outcomes Feb 4, 2008
Drug-releasing (eluting) stents are used for percutaneous coronary interventions (PCI) to help reduce the rate of re-narrowing of a coronary artery, according to background information in the article. Approval of drug-eluting coronary stents was based on results of relatively small trials of selected patients; however, in routine practice, stents are used in a broader spectrum of patients. (Science Daily)
Biopure Announces 2007 Fourth Quarter and Year-End Financial Results Jan 29, 2008
Our first pilot ischemia trial was designed to assess the product's safety in patients with single-vessel coronary artery disease who were undergoing angioplasty and stenting procedures, or percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). This Phase 2 trial, completed in 2005, enrolled a total of 45 evaluable patients at five hospitals in Germany, Belgium and The Netherlands. (PR Newswire)
Citywide Program for Primary Angioplasty Jan 17, 2008
Background If primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) is performed promptly, the procedure is superior to fibrinolysis in restoring flow to the infarct-related artery in patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction. The benchmark for a timely PCI intervention has become a door-to-balloon time of less than 90 minutes. (New England Journal of Medicine)
How Less Can Be More When Treating Some Kidney Cancers Jan 11, 2008
(May 1, 2006) Percutaneous cryoablation, a relatively non-invasive technique that destroys tumors by freezing them, is a safe method for treating kidney tumors in selected patients who are not considered. (Nov. (Science Daily)
OrbusNeich's Genous(TM) Bio-engineered R Stent(TM) has Lower MACE Rate than TAXUS(R) and CYPHER(R) Stents in Clinical Trial Jan 10, 2008
"Genous is a viable alternative to drug-eluting stents, which have raised many safety concerns among the interventional cardiology community. Unlike TAXUS and CYPHER that elute cytotoxic agents to inhibit neointimal proliferation, Genous attracts circulating endothelial progenitor cells to rapidly build a layer of healthy tissue and promote long-term natural healing." The study involved 195 consecutive high-risk patients who underwent percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) with either GRS or... (PR Newswire)
Similar Outcomes For Patients With ACS Treated With Different Anticoagulant Regimens Jan 3, 2008
"Early angiography followed by interventional or surgical revascularization when appropriate has been shown to result in reduced rates of death, myocardial infarction (MI), refractory ischemia, and rehospitalization in patients with acute coronary syndromes (ACS; unstable angina or non--ST-segment elevation MI [a certain pattern on an electrocardiogram following a heart attack]). Because both MI and hemorrhagic complications have been associated with early and late mortality in patients with ACS... (Science Daily)
'False-positive' Activation Of Cardiac Catheterization May Occur In Some With Suspected Heart Attack Dec 22, 2007
The patients were part of a registry from a regional system that included transfer of patients with STEMI from 30 community and rural hospitals with pre-transfer catheterization laboratory activation for percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI; procedures such as balloon angioplasty or stent placement used to open narrowed coronary arteries) at a tertiary cardiovascular center in Minnesota. Of the 1,335 patients with suspected STEMI who underwent angiography, 187 (14 percent) did not have a... (Science Daily)
Top10 research advances include studies on genetics and stem cell research, stents Dec 21, 2007
This study compared the initial management strategy of percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) with intensive pharmacologic therapy and lifestyle intervention (optimal medical therapy) vs. optimal medical therapy alone in reducing the risk of cardiovascular events. The authors concluded that, as an initial management strategy in patients with stable coronary artery disease, PCI did not reduce the risk of death, myocardial infarction or other major cardiovascular events when added to optimal... (EurekAlert!)
Exercise Testing May Help Predict Seriousness Of Mitral Regurgitation Dec 18, 2007
23, 2007) Three new studies evaluate a rapidly advancing field within interventional cardiology: percutaneous procedures to repair and replace defective heart valves. Percutaneous valve procedures, which are. (Science Daily)
Subclavian Catheterization Dec 13, 2007
Fortune JB, Feustel P. Effect of patient position on size and location of the subclavian vein for percutaneous puncture. Arch Surg 2003;138:996-1000. (New England Journal of Medicine)
