Balloon Angioplasty News and Research

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Balloon Angioplasty is a procedure to enlarge the opening in a blood vessel that has become narrowed or blocked by plaque (a buildup of fat and cholesterol on the inner wall of the blood vessel). A small balloon is filled with air inside the blood vessel to push the plaque against the blood vessel wall and increase the opening.

FDA warns about 'liberation therapy' for multiple sclerosis

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is alerting health care professionals and patients about injuries and death associated with the use of an experimental procedure sometimes called "liberation therapy" or the "liberation procedure" to treat chronic cerebrospinal venous insufficiency (CCSVI).

11 May 2012

CSI third quarter revenues increase 5% to $21.2 million

Cardiovascular Systems, Inc. (CSI), a medical device company developing and commercializing innovative interventional treatment systems for vascular disease, today reported financial results for its fiscal third quarter ended March 31, 2012.

3 May 2012

FDA clears Angioslide’s new 3X100mm PROTEUS device

Angioslide Ltd. a provider of Embolic Capture Angioplasty solutions, today announced that it has received FDA 510(K) clearance for its new 3X100mm PROTEUS device for treating Peripheral Artery Disease in below the knee (BTK) vasculature.

3 May 2012

Intact Vascular’s Tack-it Endovascular Stapler device receives CE Mark approval

Intact Vascular, a medical device company and developer of products for minimally invasive peripheral vascular procedures, today announced its European notified body has granted the company ISO Certification and CE Mark approval for Tack-it Endovascular Stapler device.

11 Apr 2012

Heart bypass surgery appears to carry higher long-term survival rate

Patients with coronary heart disease and their doctors have long been challenged by the decision of whether to pursue bypass surgery or opt for the less-invasive percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI, which includes stenting and balloon angioplasty). New evidence reveals bypass surgery appears to carry a higher long-term survival rate, according to research presented today at the American College of Cardiology's 61st Annual Scientific Session.

28 Mar 2012

Angioplasty can be safely and effectively performed at community hospitals

New evidence shows that with appropriate preparation, angioplasty can be safely and effectively performed at community hospitals without on-site cardiac surgery units, according to research presented today at the American College of Cardiology's 61st Annual Scientific Session.

27 Mar 2012

Bolus intracoronary abciximab reduces infarct size in high-risk patients with STEMI

Administration of a bolus dose of the anticoagulant drug abciximab into the coronary artery involved in causing a certain type of heart attack among patients who were undergoing a percutaneous coronary intervention and also receiving another anticoagulant resulted in reduction in the size of damage to the heart muscle at 30 days, while a procedure that involved use of a catheter to remove the blood clot blocking that coronary artery did not produce these results, according to a study appearing in JAMA.

27 Mar 2012

Multifaceted intervention improves use of evidence-based medicines

Among patients with acute coronary syndromes (such as heart attack or unstable angina) treated at public hospitals in Brazil, implementation of a multifaceted intervention that included educational materials, checklists and reminders resulted in improvement in the use of evidence-based medicines during the first 24 hours of hospitalization, according to a study appearing in JAMA.

26 Mar 2012

Blockages in right coronary artery are most common places for coronary dissection

Researchers from Thomas Jefferson University Hospital discovered that blockages in the right coronary artery and those in bending areas of the coronary artery are the most common places for coronary dissection, a tear in the artery that can occur during balloon angioplasty of the coronary arteries.

26 Mar 2012

Cardium commences Generx Phase 3 registration study in myocardial ischemia

Cardium Therapeutics today announced the initiation of the ASPIRE Phase 3 registration study to evaluate the therapeutic effects of Cardium's lead product candidate, Generx (Ad5FGF-4) in patients with myocardial ischemia.

21 Mar 2012

Initial stent implantation does not appear to improve outcomes for patients with stable CAD

A meta-analysis of eight previously published clinical trials suggests that initial stent implantation for patients with stable coronary artery disease is not associated with improved outcomes compared with initial medical therapy for prevention of death, nonfatal heart attacks, unplanned revascularization or angina, according to a study published in the Feb. 27 Archives of Internal Medicine, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.

28 Feb 2012

Second chance may be the last chance for heart attack patients

After he failed to heed the first big warning about his heart, John Magri was lucky to survive the second.

15 Feb 2012

Primary nitinol stent implantation effective in treating atherosclerosis than balloon angioplasty

A three-year follow-up study has shown that an alternate treatment for obstructed arteries in the leg may be warranted. The results are from a clinical trial comparing primary nitinol stent implantation with balloon angioplasty. This examination of the study provides a long-term assessment of the two procedures, which is favorable for the primary stent.

9 Feb 2012

Interim results from Spectranetics laser atherectomy catheter study on ISR

Spectranetics Corporation today announced six month interim results from the PATENT (Photo-Ablation using the TURBO-Booster and Excimer Laser for In-Stent Restenosis Treatment) study evaluating the safety and efficacy of the Spectranetics peripheral laser atherectomy catheters for the treatment of in-stent restenosis (ISR) in the femoropopliteal artery in the leg.

3 Feb 2012

Creighton researcher to study role of adult stem cells in repairing damaged coronary arteries

A Creighton University School of Medicine researcher has received a $3.3 million, five-year grant from the National Institutes of Health to study what role adult stem cells might play in repairing damaged coronary arteries, a complication that often occurs in patients after they undergo angioplasty and stenting.

24 Jan 2012

Meta-analysis does not find significant association between CYP2C19 genotype and cardiovascular events

Although the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has recommended that a certain type of genetic testing (for the genotype CYP2C19) be considered before prescribing the drug clopidogrel to identify individuals who may be less responsive to the medication, a review and analysis of previous studies did not find an overall significant association between the CYP2C19 genotype and cardiovascular events.

28 Dec 2011

Boston Scientific introduces Charger PTA Balloon Catheter in the U.S.

Boston Scientific Corporation announces the U.S. launch of its Charger PTA Balloon Catheter, a 0.035" percutaneous transluminal angioplasty (PTA) balloon catheter designed for a wide range of peripheral angioplasty procedures.

13 Dec 2011

Study evaluates safety and effectiveness of Diamondback device for heart attacks

Drilling through concrete to create an opening may sound more like construction than medicine, but the approach is similar to what researchers at Orlando Regional Medical Center (ORMC) are doing in a clinical trial to evaluate a device that breaks through hardened coronary arteries, in an effort to prevent heart attacks and relieve chest pain.

23 Nov 2011

Tripling clopidogrel dosage improves platelet reactivity in cardiac patients

Among patients with stable cardiovascular disease who have a genetic variation that diminishes the response to the antiplatelet drug clopidogrel, tripling the standard daily dosage of this medication resulted in improved platelet reactivity, according to a study appearing in JAMA.

17 Nov 2011

Clinical and genetic risk factors associated with early stent thrombosis

Patients with certain genes or specific factors related to use of the anti-clotting drug clopidogrel are more likely to experience a blood clot within a coronary stent shortly after placement, according to a study in the October 26 issue of JAMA.

27 Oct 2011