In Global News: Microbe Resistant Scrubs, LVAD Recall, and Customizing Regenerative Heart Valves

Patient Care and General Interest

Coal miners in central Appalachia in the US have an increasing incidence of severe black lung disease and an associated increased need for lung transplantation.

Five people have received free cardiac surgery at Lagos State University Teaching Hospital in Ikeja, Nigeria, in collaboration with the VOOM foundation.

In news related to heart-healthy diets, adhering to a Mediterranean diet seemes to temper the negative cardiovascular effects of air pollution, and regular, moderate chocolate consumption is associated with reduced risk of atrial fibrillation.

Drugs and Devices

The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued a class I recall for the HeartMate 3 Left Ventricular Assist System from Abbott.

Vestagen Protective Technologies has received clearance for its Vestex® Active Barrier daily-wear scrubs as a class II medical device from the US FDA for the fabric’s reduced MRSA accumulation.

Research, Trials, and Funding

Researchers in Germany find no evidence that electromagnetic field strength from electric cars interferes with cardiac implantable electronic devices.

Researchers at the University of Zurich in Switzerland are using computer simulations to predict the structural changes that will occur in bioengineered heart valves after they are implanted in sheep, with the goal of using those predictions to design customized regenerative heart valves with greater durability.