Feb 17 2017
Stereotaxis, Inc. (OTCQX:STXS), a global leader in innovative robotic technologies for the treatment of cardiac arrhythmias, and the Montreal Heart Institute (MHI), an internationally recognized research leader and specialty hospital dedicated to the advancement of cardiology, today announced that the hospital is now performing ablation procedures using its newly installed Niobe® ES and the Vdrive® robotic systems. MHI is the first hospital in the province of Quebec to offer Stereotaxis technologies for use in catheter ablation procedures to treat various types of atrial and ventricular arrhythmias, including in patients with the most complex forms of congenital heart disease. This state-of-the-art lab also contains the latest technologies for imaging and 3D mapping. Affiliated with Université de Montréal, MHI is one of the largest cardiac institutes worldwide, with electrophysiology (EP) as one of its main pillars in clinical care, research, and innovation.
“Implementation of these leading-edge technologies is a major advancement for our arrhythmia program that will benefit patients not only in Quebec but around the globe,” said Dr. Paul Khairy, arrhythmia specialist and Scientific Director of the MHI Adult Congenital Center. “There is an urgent need to improve the way we treat arrhythmias in people born with complex forms of heart disease. In some cases, life-threatening arrhythmias cannot be reached by standard methods due to distorted or obstructed structures, patches, conduits, or baffles. The robotic magnetic-guided Stereotaxis system allows us to navigate catheters with great precision through these complex anatomies safely and effectively. We have already successfully treated patients with severe forms of congenital heart disease for whom catheter ablation likely would not have been a viable option without the sophisticated capabilities of this magnetic navigation platform.”
“The majority of children born with heart defects are now surviving into their adult years, giving rise to a rapidly growing population of patients with congenital heart disease," stated Dr. Denis Roy, President and CEO of the MHI. "Considering that arrhythmias are a leading cause of morbidity and mortality in this population, it is critical to have an effective solution that addresses these complex problems. Innovations such as these, made possible in part by Dr. Khairy's major grant from the Canadian Foundation for Innovation, allow our program to offer such leading-edge care.”
Congenital heart disease (CHD) is the most prevalent type of birth defect, afflicting approximately 1% of the Canadian population. Whereas a few decades ago, most people with severe forms of congenital heart disease died during childhood, over 90% now survive into adulthood. Arrhythmias are the most common complication encountered and often occur in a context that renders conventional therapies unsuitable or ineffective.
Source: http://www.stereotaxis.com/