VIENNA - Sending a small device into veins to cut up blood clots and vacuum them out improves the medical outlook of patients facing angioplasty.
Research from the University of Vienna shows using the X-sizer may help more than receiving an angioplasty alone. The device, which is used in several other countries, is still considered experimental in the United States.
An angioplasty may be performed to push aside blood clots in arteries. Research has shown that keeping these arteries open with stents is also an effective method of preventing future blockages. However, the team concluded that combining traditional treatments with the new device may be the most efficacious procedure.
Using the X-sizer with an angioplasty adds an additional 20 minutes to the procedure.
There was no word whether officials at the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) were considering the device for approval in the United States.
Information from www.reuters.com
Beyond the Surface: Rethinking Environmental Hygiene Validation at Exchange25
June 30th 2025Environmental hygiene is about more than just shiny surfaces. At Exchange25, infection prevention experts urged the field to look deeper, rethink blame, and validate cleaning efforts across the entire care environment, not just EVS tasks.
A Controversial Reboot: New Vaccine Panel Faces Scrutiny, Support, and Sharp Divides
June 26th 2025As the newly appointed Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) met for the first time under sweeping changes by HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr, the national spotlight turned to the panel’s legitimacy, vaccine guidance, and whether science or ideology would steer public health policy in a polarized era.
Getting Down and Dirty With PPE: Presentations at HSPA by Jill Holdsworth and Katie Belski
June 26th 2025In the heart of the hospital, decontamination technicians tackle one of health care’s dirtiest—and most vital—jobs. At HSPA 2025, 6 packed workshops led by experts Jill Holdsworth and Katie Belski spotlighted the crucial, often-overlooked art of PPE removal. The message was clear: proper doffing saves lives, starting with your own.