MINNEAPOLIS — There was a distinct good news/bad news vibe to the opening session of the 12th annual MedTech Investing Conference at the Graves 601 Hotel here on Wednesday, built around a question posed to the attendees by conference co-chairman Kevin Wasserstein.

DENVER — The Heart Rhythm Society (Washington) annual meeting resurrected the discussion regarding which patients should receive dual-chamber rather than single-chamber pacing, a question that has provoked a debate between doctors and payers for some time. Many cardiologists seem convinced that a great benefit is to be had with dual-chamber pacing – alternately known as cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) – for patients with left ventricular ejection fractions of greater than 35%, and Theofanie Mela, MD, of Massachusetts General Hospital (Boston) agreed, pushing the envelope to patients with left ventricular ejection fractions (LVEF) of 50%.