At TCT, Cardiology Companies Invade Neurology's Turf

Having gradually chipped away at the patient base of surgeons, where are interventional cardiologists to go next? One answer: neurology. At this year's TCT meeting, two new areas of stroke prevention were discussed as potential growth opportunities. The first area is PFO closure: 25% of people in the general population have a congenital heart wall defect that is associated with cryptogenic stroke. In the other, left atrial appendage occlusion, to eliminate a pouch in the heart that can collect clots that cause stroke in patients with atrial fibrillation.