Royal Philips (NYSE: PHG, AEX: PHIA), a global leader in health technology, today announced the first minimally-invasive heart procedure using its new real-time 3D intracardiac echocardiography (ICE) catheter. The Left Atrial Appendage Occlusion (LAAO) procedure was carried out by Mohamad Adnan Alkhouli, M.D., at Mayo Clinic (Minnesota, U.S.).
Used together with Philips Premium Cardiology Ultrasound System (EPIQ CVx), the real-time 3D Philips Intracardiac Echocardiography Catheter – VeriSight Pro – offers superior 2D and 3D live image guidance for a wide range of procedures in structural heart disease and electrophysiology, allowing interventionalists to navigate procedures with ease, provide superior care, and optimize cath lab performance.
Live ultrasound imaging during structural heart disease and electrophysiology procedures typically relies on transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) imaging, in which an ultrasound probe is passed down the patient’s throat and into their esophagus, until it lies next to the heart. TEE requires the patient to be sedated or given general anesthesia, lengthening preparation, procedure, and recovery times and carrying a degree of risk. Philips’ ICE catheter VeriSight Pro uses the same ultrasound technology, miniaturized to fit on the tip of a 1.98mm diameter (9 French) catheter so that it can be navigated to the patient’s heart via their vasculature – the same route used to introduce other catheters during minimally-invasive cardiac surgery. General anesthesia is typically not required, reducing patient risk, and opening up procedures to patients who are not good anesthesia candidates.
“Securing the best-possible live images enables interventional cardiologists and electrophysiologists to boost procedure confidence and deliver optimum outcomes for more patients,” said Chris Landon, Senior Vice President and General Manager Image Guided Therapy Devices at Philips. “The exceptional 2D and 3D imaging capabilities of Philips Intracardiac Echocardiology Catheter – VeriSight Pro – make it a superb choice for image guidance in interventional procedures, reducing reliance on general anesthesia and the logistical hurdles that go with it.”
For interventional cardiologists, VeriSight Pro delivers a good alternative high quality 3D live image to TEE, including 3D Volume and Color Flow imaging. Based on Philips’ innovative xMATRIX 3D ultrasound transducer technology, Verisight Pro can provide a 90 by 90 degree 3D field of view as well as allowing physicians to view two scan planes simultaneously – for example, the long and short axes of the left atrial appendage (LAA) to select the appropriately sized device for LAA closure. VeriSight Pro provides superior 2D ICE imaging, as well as the ability to access new views more easily. Interventionalists can digitally change the scan angle to capture views without manually repositioning the ultrasound tip, a unique feature of this ICE catheter.
Philips Intracardiac Echocardiology Catheter – VeriSight Pro – is designed to be used with Philips Premium Cardiology Ultrasound System (EPIQ CVx). Philips offers integrated solutions for the treatment of Structural Heart Disease, combining interventional X-ray, 3D ultrasound and related interventional tools that are designed to enable confident navigation and positioning of devices to optimize outcomes while reducing procedure time.
Philips Intracardiac Echocardiology Catheter – VeriSight Pro – is available on a limited basis in the U.S.