The largest trial to date to compare revascularisation with a conservative strategy in patients with stable ischaemic heart disease has found no additional benefit a median of three years after the procedure.

CorFlow Therapeutics has announced that the company has been granted Breakthrough Device designation from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for its Controlled Flow Infusion (CoFI) System. It is indicated for the diagnostic assessment of the coronary microcirculation immediately after percutaneous coronary interventions (PCI) and as a platform for controlled infusion of therapeutic agents into the microcirculation, with or without vessel occlusion.

Penumbra today announced that the EXTRACT-PE trial successfully met the primary endpoints, demonstrating the safety and efficacy of the Indigo Aspiration system for aspiration mechanical thrombectomy in patients with acute pulmonary embolism (PE). The data were presented in a late-breaking clinical trial session today at the 2019 Vascular Interventional Advances conference (VIVA) in Las Vegas, USA (4–7 November).

Two-year data confirm that common femoral artery (CFA) disease can be treated endovascularly with the Supera stent (Abbott). Results of the VMI-CFA study were presented today at the 2019 Vascular and InterVentional Advances meeting in Las Vegas, USA (4–7 November).

William W Pinsky and Mandeep R Mehra explain to Cardiovascular Newshow international medical graduates contribute to both their adopted country and their country of origin, providing benefits for all.

Cardionovum’s Restore paclitaxel-coated balloon for coronary applications has received market approval for use in China. It can be used in treating two indications: in-stent restenosis and small vessel disease. A joint press release from Cardionovum and China Grand Pharmaceutical and Healthcare Holdings states that the Restore device features the company’s SafePax next-generation, stable, homogeneous, paclitaxel coating. It says that SafePax is an amorphous, noncrystalline matrix that is not affected by mechanical stress due to elastic, lipophilic, polymeric excipients.

Medtronic today announced Shonin approval from the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare (MHLW) and the launch of the Valiant Navion thoracic stent graft system in Japan for the minimally invasive repair of thoracic descending aortic aneurysms (TAA) and complicated type B aortic dissections (TBAD). The news marks the third major geographical launch of the Valiant Navion, following US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and CE mark approvals in late 2018.

The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) have issued a new safety communication on the risk of Type III endoleaks with use of the Endologix AFX endovascular graft systems for the treatment of abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAA).

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) has published the final appraisal determination (FAD) recommending the use of Xarelto (rivaroxaban) by the National Health Service (NHS) in England at a dose of 2.5mg twice daily combined with aspirin (75–100mg) once daily as an option for preventing atherothrombotic events in adult patients with coronary artery disease (CAD) or symptomatic peripheral artery disease (PAD) who are at high risk of ischaemic events.¹