EP Lab Digest - March 2008 - (Page 31)

MARCH 2008 EP TECHNOLOGY 31 ENRHYTHM MRI Continued from page 28 scanning conditions. Build it and doctors will come. If the technology becomes available in the future, will patients need to inform MRI staff beforehand that they have an implanted pacemaker? Would current nonMRI compatible pacemakers become obsolete? Before undergoing any medical procedure, it is recommended that patients advise their treating doctors that they have an implanted heart device. They should consult with their heart doctor to evaluate any possible associated risk. Scanners differ, and the EnRhythm MRI system is being tested at 1.5 T MRI strengths. Scanners of increasing strength are becoming more common, such as 3.0 T, and while such scanners may look the same, they are not.The current system, if available in the future, will not initially be labeled “MRI Conditional” for all MRI machines. Non-MRI compatible systems will remain on the market for years to come, and the problem of “legacy” leads will persist for decades as non-MRI compatible leads will remain in patients. Even if an MRI-compatible pulse generator is attached to a “legacy lead” at battery ERI, the system itself will not be MRI-compatible because of the lead. Thus, innovative solutions such as “EMI attenuators” that might be attached to leads during battery changeout need to be developed to solve the problems that legacy systems present. Of course, abandoned leads that are not MRI-compatible are another problem altogether. The engineers of all the device companies have their work cut out for them and will be busy for years to come. Because of the increasing role of MRI in the future, physicians will likely push for devices that are MRI-compatible; it’s simply one less thing to worry about in an already hectic, risk-filled day of managing patients. Is there anything else you’d like to add? The treatment and prevention of heart failure and sudden death will continue to be the focus of cardiologists for years to come, and implantable rhythm devices will continue to play a central role in the management of these patients. One can envision a day where MRI becomes the “one-stop shop” for cardiac diagnostics, combining the power of echo, angiography, and traditional radiopharmaceutical scanning all in one.Additionally, entire cath labs are being envisioned around MRI-based interventional and diagnostic tools. The very same patients that will need these tools will also frequently have implantable devices, and so the problem of MRI device incompatibility must be solved. Like so many things with technology, when MRI-compatible devices are finally available, we’ll ask ourselves how we ever lived without them. Finally, if any of your readers have patients that they would like to refer to this clinical study, they may contact the sponsor at the following e-mail address: medtroniccrmtrials@medtronic.com. Introducing the D i s c o v e r Yo u r S i x t h S e n s e The confidence, control, and accuracy you always dreamed of—that’s the power of the Sensei™ Robotic Catheter System, with IntelliSense™ Fine Force Technology. Superb catheter control in three dimensions, with six degrees of freedom and immediate force-sensing quantification, takes you beyond the limitations of the past—all while seated away from the field of radiation. Discover your next power at www.hansenmedical.com. Do you see MRI-safe ICDs becoming available sometime in the future as well? Of course, the need is there. However, like all things, we walk before we run. The entire product portfolio of any company will need to be MRI-safe, ideally under all The safety and effectiveness of this system for use with cardiac ablation catheters in the treatment of cardiac arrhythmias, including atrial fibrillation, have not been established. 380 North Bernardo Avenue | Mountain View, CA 94043 | PH: 650 404 5800 | FAX: 650 404 5901 | www.hansenmedical.com © 2007 Hansen Medical, Inc. All rights reserved. 112807 http://www.hansenmedical.com http://www.hansenmedical.com http://www.hansenmedical.com

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of EP Lab Digest - March 2008

EP Lab Digest - March 2008 ECG 101: The Case of a Dizzy Patient with a Left Bundle Branch Block Delayed Defibrillation: Research and Results Interview with Paul S. Chan, MD Contents Letter from the Editor Spotlight Interview: St. Joseph’s Hospital Health Center Parent Heart Watch from 36,000 Feet… Perspectives from the Annual Leadership Conference Clinical Trial Overview: 2008 Are MRI-Safe Pacemakers and Leads on the Horizon? Q & A with J. Rod Gimbel, MD Navigating Tortuous Coronary Sinus Anatomy Using a Bipolar Lead Email Discussion Group: March 2008 Guidelines on ECG Interpretation Spotlight Interview Update: What Have We Learned? The Value of Educating Staff Events Calendar Industry News and Products Classifieds Advertisers Index In Memoriam

EP Lab Digest - March 2008

For optimal viewing of this digital publication, please enable JavaScript and then refresh the page. If you would like to try to load the digital publication without using Flash Player detection, please click here.