Cardiothoracic
Opinion
What is the most likely cause of this patient’s fever?
Case: A patient develops atelectasis after undergoing cardiac bypass surgery.
Feature
Docs fight back after losing hospital privileges, patients, and income
Physicians in St. Louis lost their hospital privileges when the hospital entered into an exclusive contract with other physicians. They’re losing...
Feature
Thousands of patients were implanted with heart pumps that the FDA knew could be dangerous
Inspectors repeatedly found manufacturing and device quality problems with the HeartWare heart pump. But the FDA did not penalize the company, and...
News
A pacemaker that 'just disappears' and a magnetic diet device
Plus, a face mask that prevents and diagnoses COVID-19 and a pacemaker that removes itself.
Conference Coverage
Patchy growth of TAVR programs leaves poorer communities behind
Hospitals in metropolitan areas and those serving wealthier patients were more likely to start programs, according to a new cross-sectional...
FDA/CDC
Medtronic recall of almost 240,000 ICDs is class I, FDA says
The recall applies to implantable defibrillators, with and without resynchronization pacing, that are at apparent risk for premature and possibly...
From the Journals
TAVR feasible, comparable with surgery in rheumatic heart disease
The largest study to date “opens the door to the massive unmet clinical needs in poorer regions as well as emerging economies,” an observer said...
FDA/CDC
FDA okays transcatheter pulmonary valve for congenital heart disease
Medtronic’s Harmony valve is the first minimally invasive option for patients with severe pulmonary valve regurgitation who have a native or...
Conference Coverage
BASILICA technique prevents TAVR-related coronary obstruction in registry study
The largest ongoing BASILICA registry supports this procedure for TAVR-associated coronary obstruction.
Conference Coverage
DOACs offered after heart valve surgery despite absence of data
Use of direct oral anticoagulants following heart valve surgery is occurring despite relative contraindications, but expert doubts its clinical...
Feature
Is the tide turning on the ‘grubby’ affair of EXCEL and the European guidelines?
A major trial comparing stents and surgery influenced European guidelines, but allegations of misconduct and hidden data have led many...