Post-operative atrial fibrillation was once viewed as a fairly insignificant issue, but more recent research suggests it can increase a patient’s risk of multiple adverse events. 

The finding comes from a new expert consensus statement published by the Society for Cardiovascular Angiography and Interventions. Several industry societies, including the ACC and AHA, have endorsed the document. 

The device was first recalled in 2022, but a new software update has now been released that addresses the issue. The FDA wanted a new recall to be issued to ensure all customers went through with the update.

“There has never been a more exciting time to be a cardiothoracic surgeon,” the veteran surgeon said in a statement. 

The topic was explored at length in a new scientific statement presented at the 59th Annual Meeting of the Society of Thoracic Surgeons.

"The singular message to the public is that the optimal treatment for multivessel coronary artery disease—to improve not only long-term survival but also lower your risk of complications—is coronary artery bypass surgery," one specialist said in a statement. 

A team of cardiologists and cardiac surgeons collaborated on the new analysis, reviewing data from more than 50,000 patients and developing a new risk model for clinicians.  

When Medicare made it easier for heart failure patients to receive a LVAD at a hospital that does not perform heart transplants, the change was intended to improve patient access. It turns out, however, that the policy shift could be linked to an unintended consequence.