SingLive celebrates 35 years of pioneering heart care with new technologies and Asia firsts

Singapore, 22 January 2026 – Singapore LIVE (SingLIVE), Asia-Pacific’s key platform for showcasing advances in interventional cardiology, celebrates its 35^th anniversary. Taking place from 22 to 24 January 2026 at Raffles City Convention Centre, SingLIVE 2026 will bring together more than 1300 medical professionals from 33 countries for live demonstrations, discussions on breakthrough innovations and immersive training sessions.

Over the decades, the conference has played a pivotal role in elevating the skills, techniques and clinical judgement of cardiologists across the region, accelerating the adoption of best practices that directly improve patient outcomes.

Accelerating the Adoption of New Devices and Best Practices: Using Hertz Contact Stress to Unblock Arteries More Safely

SingLIVE has long served as a key launchpad for new treatment methods and best practices in interventional cardiology. This year, a live case demonstration will feature LithiX Hertz Contact Intravascular Lithotripsy (HC IVL), an innovation tool designed to help treat patients with calcified (‘hardened’) heart artery disease more safely and effectively.

Patients with heart artery disease are commonly treated with percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) to restore blood flow to blocked arteries. However, calcium deposits in the arteries can make these blockages difficult to open and hinder proper stent placement. In such cases, operators may need to use drills, high-pressure or cutting balloons to break the calcium buildup before expanding the stent. Because of these challenges, patients with heavily calcified arteries generally experience poorer outcomes.

Studies show many older heart patients have substantial calcium buildup in their heart arteries^1,2, highlighting the need for improved tools and treatment approaches.

Performing over 2,000 PCI procedures annually, NHCS became the first in Singapore to successfully use the LithiX device in 2025. LithiX is an Intravascular Lithotripsy balloon featuring numerous tiny stainless steel metal hemispheres on its surface. Using Hertz Contact Stress amplification force to target and break down calcium deposits at low pressure³, LithiX HC IVL breaks hardened calcium whilst leaving the artery wall unharmed, enabling proper stent expansion to restore blood flow. The device also functions without the need for an external power source.

"The LithiX HC IVL balloon marks a meaningful step forward in treating heavily calcified arteries. Its mechanical lithotripsy technology provides an alternative way of cracking the calcified lesion, offering a user-friendly and potentially safer treatment option for patients. Through live demonstrations at SingLIVE, we can share expertise with cardiologists on new techniques and transform how we manage complex coronary conditions in the region," said Clin Associate Professor Lim Soo Teik, Advisory Course Co-Director, SingLIVE. Assoc Prof Lim is also Senior Consultant, Department of Cardiology, and Advisor, Cardiac Catheterisation Laboratory, NHCS.

Advancing Cardiac Interventional Expertise Across Asia: Transforming Care Through Innovation

Since its founding in 1989, SingLIVE has introduced numerous groundbreaking cardiovascular technologies to Asia. These include the first coronary stent implantation (1991), the region's first drug-eluting stent procedure (2002), Asia's first Transcatheter Aortic Valve Implantation⁴ (2009), MitraClip⁵ (2011) and PASCAL⁶ (2025) for the treatment of mitral regurgitation; TricValve® and TriClip^{TM 7} (2022) for tricuspid regurgitation; and Electrosurgery⁸ (2025).

“SingLIVE's strength lies in its ability to translate complex procedures into practical knowledge that cardiologists can confidently apply in their own practice. Having been part of its journey since the earliest days, from the first coronary stent implantations to today's sophisticated interventions, we continue to bridge the gap between innovation and clinical practice, ensuring that breakthrough technologies reach patients who need them most,” said Clin Professor Koh Tian Hai, Course Director, SingLIVE, and Emeritus Consultant, Department of Cardiology, NHCS.

Leading Global Innovation and Knowledge Transfer
Entering its 35^th year and beyond, NHCS continues to anchor SingLIVE with groundbreaking percutaneous procedures, including those for complex, non-coronary conditions where balloon and stent technologies can offer viable, less invasive alternatives to surgery.

For the first time in its history, SingLIVE is collaborating with two renowned healthcare institutions, Mayo Clinic from the United States of America (USA) and Fuwai Hospital from China, to provide firsthand insights through live demonstrations of interventional procedures performed directly within these leading centres. This new dimension not only enriches the educational value of SingLIVE but also reinforces Singapore’s position as a leading hub for cardiovascular care and knowledge exchange.

“As our region faces demographic shifts such as ageing populations and rising cardiovascular disease, SingLIVE plays a critical role in upskilling the cardiology workforce and sharing the latest procedural advances. Through partnerships with world-class healthcare leaders, we remain committed to elevating the quality, impact, and relevance of our programme to address real-world challenges. Our vision is clear: to empower healthcare professionals in Singapore and beyond, with knowledge and skills that save lives,” said Clin Professor Yeo Khung Keong, Course Director, SingLIVE, and Chief Executive Officer, NHCS.

Professor Yeo and Professor Koh are course directors of SingLIVE 2026.

References:

1. Coronary Calcification and the Risk of Heart Failure in the Elderly: The Rotterdam Study - ScienceDirect
2. Age-associated arterial calcification: the current pursuit of aggravating and mitigating factors - PMC
3. LithiX HC-IVL | Advanced Intravascular Lithotripsy for Calcified Coronary Lesions - Elixir Medical
4. Transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) – An alternative treatment aortic stenosis | SingHealth
5. NHCS successfully performs Asia's 1st MitraClip procedure for patients with heart valve problems
6. National Heart Centre Singapore Pioneers Advanced Heart Valve Repair In Southeast Asia With New Minimally Invasive Treatment
7. New Minimally Invasive Treatments Offered In NHCS Offer Hope For Patients With Severe Heart Valve Disease
8. National Heart Centre Singapore Sets The Stage To Advance Cardiac Care At Singapore Live 2025: Asia’s Premier Conference Showcasing Cutting-Edge Interventional Technologies

About the National Heart Centre Singapore

The National Heart Centre Singapore (NHCS) is a leading national and regional referral centre for cardiovascular diseases, offering 185 beds and a comprehensive range of cardiac care services from preventive to rehabilitative. Ranked #12 as the World’s Best Cardiology Hospital by Newsweek 2025, NHCS’s clinical outcomes are consistently recognised at the international level, meeting or exceeding global standards. It is also the only facility in Singapore providing heart and lung transplantation programme.

As an academic medical centre, NHCS is committed to training healthcare professionals and advancing cardiovascular health through cutting-edge translational research in collaboration with local and international collaborators.

For more information, please visit: www.nhcs.com.sg

FACTSHEET

Singapore LIVE (SingLIVE) is Asia’s premier annual live course in cardiac interventions, organised by National Heart Centre Singapore (NHCS). The 2026 edition, held from 22 to 24 January 2026 at Raffles City Convention Centre, marks the 35^th anniversary of the conference.

SingLIVE brings together interventional cardiologists, cardiac catheterisation laboratory staff, nurses, allied health professionals and trainees across the Asia-Pacific and beyond, with the goal of sharing best practices and advancing new techniques in cardiovascular care. 

Key milestones

SingLIVE has grown in both scale and scope over the years, from a modest demonstration course to a major regional forum for live case demonstrations, didactic sessions, hands-on training, cross-border collaboration and innovation exchange.

Key Technologies Introduced at SingLIVE

Pioneering years: 1989-1900s

At the second SingLIVE, an early balloon-expandable coronary stent, the Gianturco-Roubin stent, was implanted in a patient during a live demonstration led by founding director, Professor Arthur Tan.

Another important early stent showcased during SingLIVE’s pioneering years was the Palmaz-Schatz coronary stent, a breakthrough invention from cardiologist Richard Schatz and fellow National Inventors Hall of Fame®️ Inductee, Julio Palmaz. Designed specifically for coronary use, the Palmaz-Schatz coronary stent became one of the first widely adopted stents. 

In 1994, SingLIVE introduced a new way of approaching ballooning and stenting – Transradial PCI. Traditional PCI involves inserting a catheter through a small puncture in the groin to access the heart artery. However, the groin area’s softer tissue makes it more prone to bleeding complications. With Transradial PCI, the radial artery in the wrist is used as the access point instead, offering lower bleeding risks and faster recovery time for suitable patients. Both methods are still in use today, though transradial PCI has become the more common approach.

Early 2000s

In 2002, the first drug eluting stent implantation in Singapore and Asia was showcased via a live demonstration at SingLIVE. While stents have been around for about a decade then, the bare metal stents frequently cause artery re-narrowing within a year of implant. Drug eluting stents were developed with a drug coating that markedly reduce re-narrowing, allowing for better patient satisfaction and outcomes.

With the growth in expertise with catheter-based technologies, interventional cardiologists moved on to treat Left Atrial Appendage Occlusion (LAAO) to help patients with Atrial Fibrillation who are not able to tolerate blood thinners used to reduce risk of stroke. In 2004, the first percutaneous LAAO procedure in Asia was showcased at SingLIVE.

Late 2000s-2026

The late 2000s saw further growth in expertise and technology, particularly in treating structural heart conditions such as narrowed and leaky heart valves. For the first time, patients with aortic stenosis (narrowed aortic valves) who were at high risk of open heart surgery had an alternative treatment option. In 2009, the first Transcatheter Aortic Valve Implantation (TAVI) in Asia was performed at NHCS and subsequently introduced at SingLIVE.

This breakthrough was quickly followed by the introduction of several firsts-in-Singapore procedures to treat other heart valve problems: MitraClip in 2011 and PASCAL in 2025 for the treatment of mitral regurgitation; TricValve® and TriClip^TM  in 2022 for tricuspid regurgitation; and Electrosurgery in 2025, to augment treatment capabilities for complex cardiac and structural heart cases.

Parallel advances in imaging technology revolutionised procedural precision during this period. Imaging enables interventional cardiologists to assess the severity of a patient’s condition, optimise stent placement, and detect potential complications during procedures. Advanced imaging tools such as Intravascular Ultrasound (IVUS) and Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) became integral to procedures, allowing doctors to visualise the internal arteries clearly.

New and Key Features of SingLIVE 2026

For over 35 years, SingLIVE has served as a critical platform for knowledge exchange, skill training, and practice-setting in interventional cardiology across Asia Pacific. By combining live procedures, hands-on training, industry engagement and academic sessions, SingLIVE offers a comprehensive, real-world education platform - beyond what conventional conferences typically provide.

• [NEW] Expanded live transmissions & global collaboration

SingLIVE 2026 features live case transmissions from multiple leading cardiac centres worldwide, including for the first time, a collaboration with Mayo Clinic (USA) and Fuwai Hospital (China), alongside institutions across Asia and Europe. The inclusion of these world-leading centres globalises standards and exposes regional practitioners to top-tier techniques, potentially impacting standards of cardiac care in the region and driving convergence of best practices.

• Over 60 sessions and nearly 30 live case transmissions

Delegates can expect a rich and relevant line-up of live cases and sessions covering a wide spectrum of interventional cardiology including latest concerns in cardiac care such as the latest in complex lesion techniques, high-resolution imaging, physiology-guided care and innovative approaches to manage complications and calcified arteries. Live demonstrations will showcase advanced heart procedures, including using sound waves and contact stress from special balloons to break up calcium deposits in blocked arteries (intravascular lithotripsy), treating coronary blockages in high risk patients with low heart function using mechanical circulatory support devices during percutaneous coronary interventions, procedures involving the heart's main artery (Left Main PCI), and using a clip device to repair leaky heart valves for patients with Tricuspid Regurgitation.

• Broad, multi-track scientific programme

Core tracks include Coronary Interventions, Structural Heart Interventions, and Imaging & Physiology. This year, Pulmonary Embolism and Renal Denervation sessions are also included, as part of the exploration to expand the adoption of new skills and techniques. The structure supports both advanced and basic levels, appealing to experienced interventionalists as well as trainees/newcomers.  Comprehensive programmes for nurses and allied health professionals cover management of patients with coronary artery diseases, with hands-on activities that empower nurses, radiographers, and technologists in the treatment of patients.

• Training Village & hands-on workshops

A signature feature of SingLIVE – the training village in this year’s conference offers hands-on training sessions (simulation-based or device-based) to complement live cases and lectures to offer practical, real-world learning opportunities. There is a diverse range of topics from advanced stenting techniques for blocked arteries, specialised wire navigation for complex artery blockages, high-resolution artery imaging, and nursing care for stroke prevention in heart rhythm patients.

• Industry & device partner engagement

Alongside educational sessions, SingLIVE maintains a robust exhibition area for industry partners enabling exposure to the latest devices, imaging modalities, and interventional technologies. 

• Regional and global reach

The faculty and participants span 33 countries across Asia Pacific and beyond, signifying its appeal and influence.

• 15^th Annual Chronic Total Occlusions (CTO) Interventions Live Course

Held in conjunction with SingLIVE, the CTO Interventions Live Course has been a pivotal component of the conference since 2019. CTOs refer to complete blockage of a coronary artery for more than three months and usually require treatment with advanced procedures. SingLIVE continues its collaboration with Japanese CTO masters from Complex Cardiovascular Therapeutics (CCT) of Japan and other esteemed partners to focus on interventional procedures to manage this complex condition.

The detailed programme is available at

https://www.singlivecourse.com/event/2026/home