Physicians Implant World's First ProMRI® Quadripolar CRT-D System to Treat

BERLIN, Germany, July 15, 2014 – BIOTRONIK, a leading manufacturer of cardiovascular medical technology, announced the first implantations worldwide of its new ICD and CRT-D series (implantable cardioverter-defibrillators and cardiac resynchronization therapy defibrillators). With Sentus quadripolar leads and the Inventra series, BIOTRONIK offers the only devices for patients with heart failure worldwide that are approved for MRI use. The quadripolar Sentus lead eases the implantation process by giving physicians access to challenging vessels. With CE approval in early July, BIOTRONIK's new implantable defibrillator series includes the industry’s first quadripolar left-ventricular leads to be approved for MRI use.

BIOTRONIK is the first and only company to offer heart failure patients cardiac resynchronization therapy devices and leads that can undergo MRI scans. As patients age, they may develop comorbidities, and MRI scans can be critical in diagnosing conditions like stroke, brain tumors or orthopedic conditions.

“My ICD and heart failure patients are frequently indicated for MRI scans to diagnose potential comorbidities,” commented Dr. Antonio Curnis, Spedali Civili Hospital, Brescia, Italy, who implanted a new BIOTRONIK ProMRI^® Inventra HF-T and Sentus quadripolar lead in a 73-year-old patient with congestive heart failure. “With BIOTRONIK devices, I know I can give my patients high-quality therapy and broad access to diagnostics.”

In addition to ProMRI^® technology, the new BIOTRONIK ICDs and CRT-Ds reduce inappropriate shocks with MorphMatch morphology detection criteria and anti-tachycardia pacing (ATP) optimization. While delivering shocks at the right time can save patients' lives, shocks should be minimized to appropriately control arrhythmias, improve patients' quality of life and increase device longevity.

Dr. Werner Jung, Schwarzwald-Baar Clinic, Villingen Schwenningen, Germany, successfully implanted a 72-year-old heart failure patient with a new ProMRI^® CRT-D from BIOTRONIK. “BIOTRONIK has proved the exceptional quality of its products once again with the new ICDs and Sentus quadripolar leads,” commented Dr. Jung. "Many heart failure patients are very ill and shocks put stress on the body and mind. By choosing a device with unique algorithms that reduce shocks, I am able to give my patients peace of mind and restore their sense of safety.”

BIOTRONIK has included its Closed Loop Stimulation (CLS) technology in ICDs for the first time. CLS helps patients experience the most natural rate adoption possible by utilizing their neurological information. It is the only system that allows pacemakers, and now ICDs, to react naturally to patients’ physical as well as mental activity or stress.