Medical science continues to define the relative risks of progressively smaller patient subsets across the disease spectrum, but this is particularly true of late in connection with aortic stenosis (AS).

Boston Scientific Corp. reported the U.S. launch of its Directsense technology, a tool to aid electrophysiologists in measuring tissue response to radiofrequency (RF) waves during cardiac ablation procedures. Approved by the FDA in April, the technology is available on the company’s Rhythmia HDx mapping system.

PARIS – Carmat SA, which is based in Vélizy Villacoublay, France, reported the first implantation of its bioprosthetic artificial heart at the Heart Center of the Rigshospitalet in Copenhagen, Denmark.

PARIS – Fineheart SA, of Bordeaux, France, reported the success of a seven-day preclinical study to evaluate its Implantable Cardiac Output Management System (ICOMS), the first fully Intra-Ventricular Flow Accelerator synchronized to the native heartbeat to restore natural heart pumping capacity.

Wall Street has stabilized enough after the recent pandemic-induced volatility to offer enthusiastic support to a med tech generating significant revenue that already reached breakeven during the first quarter. Inari Medical Inc. priced its IPO at the top of an already upwardly revised range to raise $156 million. It sold 8.2 million shares at $19, above the prior range of $17 to $18. Shares of the Irvine, Calif.-based company (NASDAQ:NARI) then more than doubled to hit about $43 on its first day of trading.

LONDON – Heart disease is now known to be both a cause and an effect of serious COVID-19 infection, with more than 1 in 10 patients who have underlying cardiac conditions being killed by the virus, while others with no previous record of cardiovascular problems are suffering significant COVID-19 induced weakening of their hearts.

Waltham, Mass.-based Thermedical Inc. has received a breakthrough device designation from the U.S. FDA for its saline enhanced radiofrequency (SERF) ablation system and Durablate catheter in the treatment of ventricular tachycardia (VT). The system uses a new means of biological heat to precisely deliver ablation therapy to the heart.

Edwards Lifesciences Corp. has gained a CE mark for its Pascal transcatheter valve repair system to treat tricuspid regurgitation (TR). It was previously approved for mitral regurgitation treatment. Due to the pandemic, Edwards has paused new enrollments in its ongoing mitral and tricuspid pivotal clinical trials.