CathMasters by CardioNerds

CathMasters Drs. Amit Goyal, Li Pang, and Dr. Nazli Okumus, discuss state-of-the-art percutaneous axillary arterial access and closure with expert proctor Dr. Raj Tayal. Using a simulated case of Impella-supported high-risk PCI in a patient with severe bilateral iliofemoral PAD, the team walks through a step-by-step proctor playbook: pre-procedural CTA planning, laterality selection, room and arm setup...

CathMasters hosts Dr. Amit Goyal, Dr. Li Pang, and Dr. Nazli Okumus discuss the evidence base for percutaneous transaxillary large-bore arterial access and closure with expert faculty Dr. Rajiv Tayal. Approximately 5% of US TAVR cases require alternative access despite lower-profile devices, and with expanding indications for TAVR and mechanical circulatory support (MCS), the absolute number of patient...

This episode is part of our comprehensive Decipher the Guidelines Series covering the 2025 ACC/AHA/ACEP/NAEMSP/SCAI Guideline for the Management of Patients With Acute Coronary Syndromes. 

The following question refers to Section 5.2.1 of the 2025 ACS Guidelines.

The question is asked by Thomas Jefferson medical student and CardioNerds Ac...

CathMasters (Drs. Amit Goyal, Daniel Ambinder, Nazli Okumus, and Salman Allana) discuss a challenging case of recalcitrant focal in-stent restenosis (ISR) within two layers of stent in a right coronary artery. The panel walks through a systematic approach to ISR: guide selection and access strategy; the role of intracoronary imaging in classifying ISR using the Waksman mechanistic classification; and a...

The following question refers to Section 7.1 of the 2025 ACS Guidelines.

The question is asked by Thomas Jefferson medical student and CardioNerds Academy Intern Dr. Grace Qiu, answered first by University of Michigan fellow and CardioNerds FIT Ambassador Dr. Kayla Secrest, and then by expert faculty Dr. Sunil Rao.

Dr. Rao is an interventional...

CathMasters host Dr. Li Pang, member of the CardioNerds Interventional Cardiology Council, and expert faculty Dr. Saraschandra Vallabhajosyula discuss the landmark CHIP-BCIS3 trial (Controlled Trial of High-Risk Coronary Intervention with Percutaneous Left Ventricular Unloading), published in the New England Journal of Medicine in 2026. 

Using a representative case of...

CathMasters Drs. Nazli Okumus and Daniel Ambinder, along with expert faculty Drs. Ann Gage and Marwan Jumean, tackle the management of limb ischemia — one of the most feared complications of peripheral VA-ECMO (veno-arterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation) and large-bore mechanical circulatory support (MCS). Through the case of a 50-year-old woman with ischemic cardiomyopathy on VA-ECMO and ...

CathMasters Drs. Nazli Okumus and Daniel Ambinder, along with expert faculty Drs. Ann Gage and Marwan Jumean, walk through the step-by-step procedural approach to VA-ECMO (veno-arterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation) cannulation. Building on the Data to Delivery episode, this Proctor Playbook episode covers pre-procedural planning, cannula selection, team composition and equipment, the role of th...

In this episode, CathMasters hosts Drs. Nazli Okumus and Daniel Ambinder, joined by expert faculty Drs. Ann Gage and Marwan Jumean, examine the foundational principles of veno-arterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (VA-ECMO). Utilizing a case study of a 36-year-old patient with fulminant myocarditis and biventricular failure, the panel analyzes the VA-ECMO circuit’s anatomy, clinical indica...