Tal Golesworthy is the inventor of the ExoVasc, a bespoke implant that supports the aortic root when it has becomes weak and dilated. Tal’s invention was born out of his personal need for the device to support his aorta that was expanding dangerously due to Marfan syndrome. In 2004, Tal was the first patient to […]
Tag: Cardiology
Aquilion Precision, a High Resolution CT from Canon Now Cleared by FDA
Canon Medical won FDA clearance for its top-end Aquilion Precision CT scanner. The company calls it the world’s first “Ultra-High Resolution CT” system because it’s capable of resolving objects as small as 150 microns, something commonly only available in cath labs. This level of imaging is possible thanks to a new X-ray tube that has […]
GORE CARDIOFORM Septal Occluder Approved by FDA for PFO Closure
The FDA has approved the GORE CARDIOFORM Septal Occluder for patent foramen ovale (PFO) closure procedures that have shown to reduce the chance of stroke in some patients. The CARDIOFORM is already being used in the U.S. for closing of atrial septal defects up to 17 millimeters in size. The catheter-delivered device consists of two […]
Researchers Rapidly Grow Adult-Like Human Heart Muscle for Cardiac Drug Screening
Scientists at Columbia University have developed a new technique to rapidly grow adult-like human heart muscle from blood-derived human induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs). The technique involves culturing the cells in an organ-on-a-chip device and subjecting them to mechanical stimulation. Using their method, the researchers were able to grow adult-like human heart muscle in just […]
Smartphone App Detects Atrial Fibrillation Without Additional Devices
Finnish researchers at the University of Turku and the Heart Centre of the Turku University Hospital managed to use the accelerometers built into most smartphones to detect atrial fibrillation (Afib), an often serious but sometimes difficult to detect arrhythmia. The technology has been dubbed as gyrocardiography and it may rival electrocardiography (ECG) for detecting Afib in many […]
Canon Releases Aplio i600 Ultrasound with Enhanced Ergonomics
Canon Medical is unveiling its recently FDA cleared Aplio i600 ultrasound system. It’s intended for both diagnostic and interventional procedures, featuring a bunch of tools that make setup quick and intuitive. An image-guide interface helps to move the clinician through the imaging exam. Canon touts the ergonomic design of the Aplio i600 that allows the […]
New Technologies for Remote Cardiac Monitoring by Biotricity: Interview with CEO Waqaas Al-Siddiq
New on the scene of remote monitoring, Biotricity is tackling cardiovascular disease with a “real-time, high-precision remote monitoring technology.” Earlier this year, the company secured FDA 510k approval for Bioflux, a 3-channel electrocardiogram (ECG) monitoring system designed for use by physicians. Triggered notifications about a patient’s potential bradycardia, tachycardia, or atrial fibrillation events, based on […]
Philips Unveils First Live Tele-Ultrasound System
Philips, in a partnership with Innovative Imaging Technologies, a company out of Montreal, Quebec, Canada, is releasing the first telemedicine system that transmits live ultrasound images during scans performed by a paramedic or nurse to a physician’s smartphone, tablet, or computer. Audio and video are shared as well, allowing physicians to have a clear sense of […]
VitalConnect Introduces an Integrated Patient-Monitoring Platform: Interview with CCO, Bill Brodie
In a world of big data analytics and quantified-selfers, wearable technology companies are uniquely positioned to bring about measurable differences in our everyday lives. While Fitbits and Apple Watches are common on wrists around the U.S., some industry leaders have called their true utility into question. VitalConnect’s unique approach to wearable technology, on the other hand, […]
Instant Wave-Free Ratio for the Assessment of Coronaries: Interview with Andrew Tochterman of Philips
Philips offers a portfolio of advanced image-guided therapy devices, and has developed instant wave-free ratio (iFR), a method to assess if a coronary stenosis is causing myocardial ischemia. If a coronary vessel is partially occluded, it is important to assess the extent to which it is reducing the blood supply to the myocardium, as this […]
Samsung Unveils RS85A, a New Premium General Ultrasound
Samsung received FDA clearance and is unveiling its new RS85A general purpose premium ultrasound system. It features the company’s technologies such as MV-Flow, which lets clinicians see flow through micro vascularized structures and help diagnose cancer in many cases, and S-Shearwave Imaging (shown above), a shearwave elastography technique which quantifies tissue elasticity, particularly useful when […]
An Exclusive with Christine Storm of Philips on FocusPoint and Tele-ICU Innovations
In February 2018, Philips announced the debut of FocusPoint, a network application management system to help improve biomedical and IT department productivity. Depending on the size of a health system, there can be hundreds to thousands of medical devices and network equipment, making it difficult for IT and biomedical staff to have visibility into the […]
Cardiomyocyte Molds to Improve Cardiac Cell Therapy
Researchers at Michigan Tech and Harvard Medical School have developed a new way to create cardiomyocytes from induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs), for improved cardiac cell therapy. The team developed a culture mold that mimics the physiological conditions under which cardiomyocytes grow. When the team tested the molds, they found that the cells matured more […]
aerSleep System for Obstructive Sleep Apnea (Interview)
TTP Ventus, UK-based developer of Disc Pump, a tiny, quiet, and very efficient pump, and Sommetrics, US-based creator of aerSleep negative-pressure treatment system for obstructive sleep apnea, teamed up to develop the slimmed-down tetherless aerSleep system. aerSleep has just recently been approved for marketing to patients in Canada. Obstructive sleep apnea is caused by airway […]
ACUSON Bonsai, a Powerful Cardio Ultrasound in a Small, Portable Package
At the just concluded American College of Cardiology’s 67th Annual Scientific Session and Expo, Siemens Healthineers introduced its new ACUSON Bonsai portable cardiovascular ultrasound. The company touts the system’s powerful cardio imaging and measurement capabilities, quick setup and operation, and a compact and easy to move around package that’s tuned to go from patient to patient performing echo […]
New Canon Aplio i900 Cardiovascular Ultrasound Unveiled
At the American College of Cardiology 2018 annual meeting, Canon has unveiled the latest version of its Aplio i900 cardiovascular ultrasound system that can be used for advanced cases such as transcatheter implantation procedures. The system features a number of 4D capabilities such as 4D TEE transcatheter procedure guidance, as well as MVA (Mitral Valve Analysis), which helps to […]
Oregon Health & Science University’s Artificial Heart Ready for Animal Trials
Researchers at the Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU) are developing an artificial heart that may one day serve as a long-term replacement for failing natural hearts. This would be a major development, as the only FDA approved artificial heart, the SynCardia temporary Total Artificial Heart , is only meant as a “bridge” to a transplant. OHSU’s device […]
3D Printed Patches with Living Cells Help to Overcome Tiny Blocked Vessels
Thrombotic blockages within blood vessels are a common health problem. When occlusions occur in large vessels, they can be relatively easy to deal with using wires, catheters, balloons, and stents. It is the smaller vasculature, which can be too narrow for intravascular instruments, that is currently nearly impossible to deal with. Researchers at the National […]
FDA Approves Smallest Heart Valve: Small Enough for Newborns
The world’s smallest prosthetic heart valve has been approved by the FDA, allowing even newborns to benefit from a replacement that was designed to match their anatomy. The Masters HP 15mm rotatable mechanical heart valve can be used to replace either mitral or aortic valves that are not good candidates for repair procedures. The valve is now […]
Patient Aortas Printed in 3D to Test How Replacement Valves Will Work
Implanting prosthetic heart valves is a challenge requiring careful matching of the implanted device to the patient anatomy, as well as placing the implant so that there are no leaks, hemodynamic occlusions, nor a configuration that promotes clot formation. While this is relatively manageable when performing open heart valve replacements, using transcatheter valves is a […]