Each year in the United States, approximately 600,000 people have a pulmonary embolism, with an estimated 50,000 to 200,000 dying from the condition. Because of the high mortality rate associated with massive and sub-massive pulmonary embolism, identification and early intervention are critical. Yet, this common condition remains underdiagnosed and undertreated.
In November 2017, a study into the effectiveness of percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) caught international attention for raising questions about the benefits of angioplasty and stenting. The study, Objective Randomised Blinded Investigation With Optimal Medical Therapy of Angioplasty in Stable Angina (ORBITA), concluded there was no benefit for patients with stable angina who underwent PCI.
Heart failure is an epidemic in the United States, with over 6 million patients suffering from some type of heart failure. While the majority of these patients will be treated medically or with traditional surgery, in some cases, these treatments will ultimately fail.
Pancreatic adenocarcinoma (PDAC), the most common type of pancreatic cancer, is the fourth leading cause of cancer-related death in the United States. It is an extremely slow growing tumor. PDAC normally remains undetectable until late in the disease process, due in part to the physical location of the pancreas. It is situated behind the stomach at the back of the retroperitoneal space, overlaying the aorta, vena cava, and spine, deep inside the body. Because of the location of the pancreas, a computed tomography or magnetic resonance imaging scan is typically needed to detect a lesion, so it may not be discovered until the patient develop symptoms. PDACs located in the head of the pancreas may obstruct the bile duct, resulting in jaundice. Approximately 80 percent of PDAC cases present with this painless jaundice. When the lesion is located in the body or tail of the pancreas, however, the first symptom is likely to be pain associated with invasion of the spleen or stomach, occurring much later in the course of the disease.
