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CMS confirms broadened Medicare coverage of carotid artery stenting in final decision
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has released its final decision regarding National Coverage Determination (NCD) 20.7 covering carotid artery stenting (CAS), essentially confirming the coverage expansion outlined in a July proposed decision memo. In a communique to…
Rates of stroke, death and myocardial infarction post-TCAR do not differ by patient sex
While sex disparities regarding the outcomes of carotid revascularization have “long been a concern,” new prospective data published in the Journal of Vascular Surgery (JVS) indicate that no such disparity exists between male and female patients treated with transcarotid artery…
SVS varicose vein guideline webinar set for Oct. 10
A virtual roundtable on Oct. 10 will cover the new Society for Vascular Surgery (SVS) varicose veins guidelines. Set for 6–7:30 p.m. CDT, the session will address the latest in the diagnostic evaluation of patients with the venous condition using…
From the editor: Sex, lies, and carotid stents
First, a disclaimer. This commentary is woefully short of sex-related content. Not even the wholesome gender-based outcomes stuff. So, if that key term brought your internet search here, feel free to press on with your illicit journeys my friend. Now,…
Enrollment of first patient in Neuroguard carotid stent system trial announced
Contego Medical has announced enrollment of the first patient in the prospective, multicenter PERFORMANCE III trial aimed at further evaluating the safety and effectiveness of the Neuroguard integrated embolic protection (IEP) direct system—a carotid stent system designed for direct transcarotid access. The study is…
Obituary: Roger M. Greenhalgh (Feb. 6, 1941–Oct. 6, 2023)
Roger Malcolm Greenhalgh, MD, the surgeon internationally renowned for his unparalleled contribution to vascular education, training and research, died peacefully on Oct. 6. He was 82. At the time of his death, he was emeritus professor of surgery at Imperial…
EVS 2023: New data chart underrepresentation of women at the head of national clinical trials
The underrepresentation of women vascular surgeons in national clinical trial leadership formed the central theme of data coming out of a new study that probed all clinical trials in five main areas of vascular disease between 1997 and 2003. Delivered…
George Lavenson, Vietnam and Gulf War veteran, advocate for carotid disease screening in seniors, dies
George S. Lavenson Jr., lovingly referred to as “Doc” by his many friends, died Saturday, Aug. 19, 2023, on the beautiful island of Maui, Hawaii, where he chose to share a life in majestic Lahaina with his loving wife, Judy.…
MVSS 2023: Human Acellular Vessel proves ‘safe, effective bypass conduit’ in complex CLTI cohort
An investigator-sponsored clinical study conducted at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, of the investigational Human Acellular Vessel (HAV) in patients with chronic limb-threatening ischemia (CLTI) was presented at the Midwestern Vascular Surgical Society (MVSS) annual meeting in Minneapolis, Minnesota…
MVSS president outlines why vascular surgery is special and how ‘people need to know what we do’
Outgoing Midwestern Vascular Surgical Society (MVSS) President Jeffrey Jim, MD, used his recent presidential address to call upon vascular surgeons to spread the word far and wide—from Main Street to hospital C-suites—of what marks out vascular surgery as the truly…