Complex transcatheter cardiac procedures, such as valve replacements, are often difficult to prepare for. Small anatomical differences can make big impacts on outcomes. Clinicians and researchers have been using models, both virtual and 3D printed, to improve procedural outcomes, design new devices, and to invent new therapeutic techniques. These models generally help professionals to understand […]
Tag: Cardiac Surgery
Alginate Biomaterial Evades Immune System to Enhance Stem Cell Therapy
Researchers at Rice University and Baylor College of Medicine have developed an immuno-evasive alginate biomaterial hydrogel that can enhance stem cell therapy after myocardial infarction. Stem cells delivered to the heart within the biomaterial survive in greater numbers and for a longer period than cells delivered alone, resulting in a significant enhancement in healing. Stem […]
Simplifying Transseptal Access to the Left Atrium: Interview with Terri Burke, CEO of Protaryx Medical
Protaryx Medical, a company based in Baltimore, Maryland, has developed a device to allow for more precise transseptal access to the left atrium during transcatheter procedures. The device provides three-dimensional control and steerability to take the guesswork out of transseptal access to the left atrium, and the company believes that this could improve physician convenience […]
EVA15 Surgical Insufflator and Smoke Evacuator for Minimally Invasive Procedures FDA Cleared
Palliare, a company out of Galway, Ireland, won FDA clearance for its flagship product, the EVA15 insufflator and smoke evacuation system. The EVA15 combines two devices into a compact package that is designed for use in laparoscopic, endoscopic, endolumenal, and robotic procedures. Smoke is a common problem in all kinds of minimally invasive procedures that […]
Watchman FLX Next Gen Stroke Prevention Device Now FDA Approved
Boston Scientific’s WATCHMAN, a device that’s used to close the left atrial appendage, has done wonders for preventing the formation of clots that lead to stroke in many patients. Now the company has announced that its WATCHMAN FLX, a new and much improved version of the implant, won FDA approval. Already cleared in the European […]
Scientists 3D-Print Human Heart Pump
Scientists at the University of Minnesota have 3D printed a beating heart muscle ‘pump’ consisting of pluripotent stem cells and an extracellular matrix. The researchers grow the stem cells within the structure until they reach an appropriate cell density, and then differentiate them into cardiomyocytes. The 1.5 cm sized structure can pump fluids, and could […]
Edwards’ KONECT RESILIA Aortic Valved Conduit Wins FDA Approval For Bio-Bentalls
Edwards Lifesciences won FDA approval for its KONECT RESILIA aortic valved conduit, a device designed specifically for performing bio-Bentall procedures. Typically, these complex surgeries require physicians to remove the aortic root, the aortic valve, and at least a part of the ascending aorta, and replace them with an artificial valve and an aortic graft that […]
Synthetic Melanin Protects from Radiation Damage
Researchers at Northwestern University have developed a new biomaterial, selenomelanin, that can help protect people from radiation. The new substance, chemically synthesized and produced by bacteria, helps protect cells from radiation more effectively than other forms of melanin. One day, it may be used in sunscreens, medical treatments, or for long-term spaceflight as a radioprotective […]
Medtronic LINQ II Insertable Cardiac Monitor Cleared in U.S.
Medtronic landed FDA clearance for its LINQ II insertable cardiac monitor that’s indicated for the detection and classification of cardiac arrhythmias and remote monitoring of patients. The LINQ II features remote programming capabilities, allowing cardiologists to tune the implant settings without the patient having to come into the office. Thanks to secure connectivity, the cardiologist […]
Micro-LEDs and Solar Panels Wirelessly Power Medical Implants
Researchers at the Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology in South Korea have developed a method to wirelessly power implanted devices using light. The technique involves a micro-LED patch to transmit light through the skin and a photovoltaic system on implanted devices that can turn this light into electricity. This technology could help researchers to […]
Abbott’s Gallant Heart Rhythm Implants FDA Approved
Abbott won FDA approval for its Gallant implantable cardioverter defibrillator and cardiac resynchronization therapy defibrillator devices. Cleared in Europe earlier this year, the implants feature Bluetooth connectivity, allowing data to stream to a physician for closer observation and monitoring. The devices connect to the myMerlinPulse smartphone app, available for Android and iOS smartphones and tablets, […]
Boston Sci’s Lux-Dx Smart Implantable Arrhythmia Detector FDA Cleared
Boston Scientific has announced winning FDA clearance for its LUX-Dx Insertable Cardiac Monitor (ICM), an implant that can detect hard-to-spot cardiac arrhythmias, such as atrial fibrillation, and help diagnose their origin. The device’s detection algorithm has two separate components, one of which detects a suspect arrhythmia and the other verifies the finding. Once an arrhythmia […]
Nanostimulators Activate Damaged Tissue to Heal Itself
Peripheral artery diseases and injuries to tissue reduce the amount of oxygen that reaches the affected muscles. Such ischemia is difficult to treat, as new vessels are required to carry more oxygen into damaged tissues. Stem cells derived from fat tissues have been shown to excrete substances that spur angiogenesis and calm nearby inflammation. But […]
Easily Removable Surgical Tape to Seal Internal Wounds
Researchers at MIT recently developed an adhesive tape that allows surgeons to seal internal wounds and that can readily stick to slippery internal surfaces, as a potential replacement for sutures. However, the adhesive worked a little too well, and was difficult to remove or adjust without causing irritation or tissue damage. Now, the research team […]
Medtronic Micra AV Transcatheter Heart Pacer Cleared in EU
Medtronic won the European Union CE Mark for its Micra AV pacemaker that’s delivered into the heart, where it resides without requiring any leads, using a minimally invasive transcatheter procedure. The device is indicated for patients suffering from AV block, a condition that prevents proper electrical signal transfer between the atria and the ventricle. Micra […]
Printed Soft Objects for Shape-Shifting Biomedical Implants
Researchers at Rice University have developed a method to 3D print soft structures that can reversibly change their shape in response to external stimuli, such as heat or an electric current. The researchers have dubbed their technique “reactive 4D printing” and it could have potential in creating adaptive biomedical implants that can respond to external […]
Blood Volume Analysis Using The BVA-100: Interview with Michael Feldschuh, Daxor CEO
Daxor Corporation, a company based in New York, has developed the BVA-100, a blood volume analysis test. The test is the first to be FDA approved for the quantification of blood volume and composition. Following the injection of a radio-labeled tracer, a blood sample is obtained from the patient and analyzed. The entire process takes […]
Boston Sci’s DIRECTSENSE Ablation Monitoring Tech Coming to U.S.
Boston Scientific is releasing in the United States its DIRECTSENSE Technology for live monitoring of cardiac tissue during radiofrequency ablation procedures. The capability is designed for use on the company’s RHYTHMIA HDx Mapping System along with the INTELLANAV MiFi Open-Irrigated ablation catheter and it works by measuring the change in electrical impedance of the tissue […]
Magnetic Tracking System for Flexible Surgical Robots
Researchers at the University of California San Diego have developed a magnetic tracking system for surgical robots to operate with dexterity within the body. The technology does not require patient or clinician exposure to radiation, and is much less expensive that pre-existing monitoring techniques. A magnet is embedded in the tip of the robot and […]
Personalized Blood Flow Modeling Benefits from Virtual Reality Interface
Researchers at Duke University have developed a fluid dynamics simulator that can model blood flow within the body, including the motion of individual blood cells. The researchers hope that the system could eventually be used by clinicians to model blood flow for individual patients and help with treatment decisions, such as stent placement. By testing […]