The Merlin 10.0 update to Abbott’s its Merlin patient care network, which works with the CardioMEMS HF sensor system, allows physicians to communicate directly with patients.

ILUMIEN IV is the largest-ever prospective randomized trial to compare an intravascular imaging modality, plus angiography, to angiography alone in coronary interventions, according to Abbott. The trial will enroll up to 3,650 patients with high-risk complex disease at 125 centers in North America, Europe and Asia to determine if OCT-guided stenting yields larger vessel diameters and improves clinical outcomes for patients compared to stent procedures guided by standard angiography.

The market for spinal cord stimulation (SCS) systems, used for treating chronic debilitating pain, is expanding relentlessly, and companies like Abbott Laboratories, Medtronic, Boston Scientific and Nevro are all vying to gain more market share with their respective technologies. At this year's annual meeting of the North American Neuromodulation Society (NANS) in Las Vegas, physicians were presented with the latest clinical evidence backing these innovations. This article looks at the overall SCS market, discusses study findings presented at NANS and the latest innovations. It also provides insights from two established pain management specialists on factors they think will drive SCS technologies forward.