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Tag: heart
European doctors learn to access the heart from any approach with Baylis devices and expanded training program
Video Link: https://youtu.be/jS-sLqhQ5Fk
TORONTO, Nov. 21, 2017 /CNW/ - Baylis Medical Company Inc. has launched a hands-on workshop in Europe that will train cardiologists on innovative tools that enable access to the heart from any approach. This includes a growing number of procedures that require physicians to use major veins that feed into the heart from above – something the Baylis Medical SupraCross® RF System enables with ease.
Such alternate pathways offer a minimally invasive way to deliver life-saving treatments. Prior to the development of these tools, open heart surgery was the only option available for many high-risk patients.
Following its initial launch in Toronto, Canada, the SupraCross® Workshop has now expanded to Europe, a growing market for this one-of-a-kind technology. The program offers specialized training on the use of the Baylis Medical SupraCross RF System to interventional cardiologists – specialized physicians who provide catheter-based treatment of various heart diseases.
"The SupraCross workshop was excellent," says Dr. Zachary Whinnett, a consultant cardiologist and electrophysiologist at Hammersmith Hospital, London UK, who participated in a recent Baylis training workshop in Amsterdam. "The superb hands-on experience with these advanced tools made superior access to the left atrium easy."
Baylis Medical's SupraCross RF System includes a steerable sheath and flexible radiofrequency wire that were designed to achieve controlled and precise transseptal access to the left side of the heart from any approach, including from above the heart. For example, these dedicated tools make it easier for physicians to place a pacemaker lead into the left heart in cases where traditional cardiac resynchronization therapy fails.
"These tools are also used for accessing the heart from the subclavian vein or internal jugular vein above the heart in cases where the lower femoral vein is blocked or does not otherwise have a continuous pathway to the heart," says Chris Bermingham, Team Leader, Clinical Education at Baylis. "This is a technically challenging procedure for even the most skilled physician, unless you have the right tools."
"Baylis is committed to developing innovative solutions that help all patients, particularly those for whom no other medical options are available," says Kris Shah, President of Baylis Medical. "That's why we developed the SupraCross system, and why we are expanding our specialized training program to Europe. We know the importance of offering best-in-class clinical support to physicians who must stay abreast of a constantly evolving medical field."
About Baylis Medical Company
Baylis Medical develops and markets high-technology medical devices used in the fields of interventional cardiology, interventional radiology, and spinal procedures. Our vision is to develop and market innovative medical therapies while improving the lives of people around the world. The company has offices in Montreal and Toronto (Canada), Boston (U.S.), London (U.K.) and Munich (Germany). For more information, visit www.baylismedical.com. ;
PRM-00273 EN J-1,2,3 V-1 © Copyright Baylis Medical Company Inc., 2017. Baylis Medical Company Inc. reserves the right to change specifications or to incorporate design changes without notice and without incurring any obligation relating to equipment previously manufactured or delivered. SupraCross and the Baylis Medical logo are trademarks and/or registered trademarks of Baylis Medical Company Inc.in the USA and/or other countries. Patents Pending and/or issued. CAUTION: Federal Law (USA) restricts the use of these devices to or by the order of a physician. Before use, consult product labels and Instructions for Use for Indications for Use, Contraindications, Warnings, Precautions, Adverse Events and Directions for Use.
SOURCE Baylis Médical
How to Combat Ethnical Health Disadvantages When It Comes to Genetics
Medical professionals have long been aware of the fact that people from different ethnic backgrounds carry different risk levels for some medical conditions. As such, it's important that steps be taken to compensate for the medical disadvantages that come with a patient's genetic makeup. Here are just some of the ways that you can proactively compensate for the risks that may affect you because of your ethnic background.
Know What You're Prone To
The first step in combating whatever ethnic medical disadvantages you may have is to know just what they are. Research the conditions that are associated with your ethnic background so that you have a complete picture of your own risk profile. You should also ask your doctor what you might be susceptible to as a result of your genetic makeup.
Take Optimal Care of Your Heart
Many conditions that are affected by ethnic background involve the heart and cardiovascular system. African Americans, for example, are extremely prone to high blood pressure. This condition, if left unchecked, can contribute to heart attacks and strokes. If you eat properly, exercise and have your heart checked regularly by a medical professional, you can greatly reduce genetically inherited risks and improve your chances of a long and healthy life.
Visit Your Dentist Regularly
As with heart disease, genetic traits play a key role in dental health throughout a person's lifetime. People from India, for example, have been shown to be more susceptible to periodontal disease than other populations. Visiting a dentist, like Jay A Hollander DDS, often can help to combat and prevent such serious dental health problems. Since tooth alignment and discoloration also have genetic components, a visit to a specialized cosmetic dentist can also help you to keep your teeth in optimal condition in spite of any genetic factors working against you.
Balance Your Overall Risk
Unfortunately, there's nothing you can do about the fact that your genetic makeup predisposes you toward some illnesses. What you can do, however, is eliminate lifestyle risks in order to offset that fact. For example, Asian Americans, who are extremely prone to osteoporosis, can change their diets to include more calcium. By adjusting your lifestyle to better fit your individual health needs, you can combat the increased risks posed by your ethnic background.
The key to combating medical disadvantages stemming from your genetics is to be proactive. The more you can do to mitigate your risks, the better off you will be. Always be sure to seek the advice of your doctor, as he or she will be able to give you personalized insights into the plan that is right for you.
For patients experiencing chest pain who call 911, the Ontario ST Elevation Myocardial Infarction (STEMI) Bypass Protocol enables paramedic services to bypass the local emergency department and transport patients having a STEMI heart attack directly to a hospital that can open the blocked coronary artery and provide a primary intervention. STEMI is a form of a heart attack that can cause death if not treated within minutes.
In Ontario, the frequency of STEMIs is approximately 68 of every 100,000 adult residents, a total of about 7,000 STEMIs per year. Timely reperfusion (the opening of a blocked coronary artery) requires early diagnosis via an electrocardiogram (ECG) and transportation to an advanced cardiac hospital via paramedics.
"Calling 911 means quicker treatment because paramedics are trained to recognize heart attack symptoms," said Doctor Madhu Natarajan, Chair Ontario STEMI Network, Director, Cardiac Cath lab Hamilton; Professor of Medicine, Cardiology at Mc Master University, Interventional Cardiology, Hamilton Health Sciences. "[They] can begin treatment and call ahead to the emergency department and take you to the right place at the right time."
Any heart attack treatment begins with paramedics who have the medical expertise to complete an assessment and perform an ECG to determine if patients are having a STEMI heart attack. With the new protocol, paramedics can bypass the local hospital and transport directly to an advanced cardiac hospital where an interventional cardiologist can restore blood flow to the blocked coronary artery.
"When individuals experience symptoms of a heart attack (i.e. chest/arm pain, nausea, sweating, and shortness of breath) it is very important that they call 911," said Peter F. Dundas, Chief, Peel Regional Paramedic Services, Ontario Association of Paramedic Chiefs. "The Emergency Department STEMI Protocol ensures standardized, best practice care for all STEMI patients in Ontario."
All emergency departments (ED) in Ontario now utilize a standard STEMI ED protocol when caring for patients experiencing a STEMI heart attack. Educational tools and resources have been distributed to every Emergency Department in Ontario to support implementation of the protocol.
The protocols also include standard care algorithms for patients that reside in remote regions.
The STEMI Protocols were developed in consultation with the CCN, the Ontario Association of Paramedic Chiefs, the Ontario Base Hospital Group Executive Committee, the Ontario Base Hospital Group Medical Advisory Committee, Toronto Paramedic Services and Ornge.
The Cardiac Care Network (CCN), under the direction of the Provincial Programs Branch (PPB), took the lead on the development of the Ontario STEMI Bypass Protocol through their Ontario STEMI Network, which included cardiologists, hospital administrators, base hospital medical directors and paramedics from across the province.
In Canada, there is a death every seven minutes due to heart disease or stroke. In 2008, myocardial infarctions (MI) made up 23 per cent of deaths related to cardiovascular disease. Most deaths caused by myocardial infarctions occur out-of-hospital.
For more information on the Ontario ST Elevation Myocardial Infarction (STEMI) Bypass Protocol, visit http://ow.ly/OL91308McQL.
ABOUT THE CARDIAC CARE NETWORK
The Cardiac Care Network of Ontario is a system support to the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care, Local Health Integration Networks, hospitals, and care providers dedicated to improving quality, efficiency, access and equity in the delivery of the continuum of cardiovascular services in Ontario.
SOURCE Cardiac Care Network of Ontario (CCN)
World's Smallest Pacemaker Licenced for Canadian Patients
The Medtronic Micra™ Transcatheter Pacing System (TPS) is the First Leadless Pacemaker Licenced in Canada
Medtronic Canada, a subsidiary of Medtronic plc (NYSE:MDT), today announced it has received a Health Canada licence for the world's smallest pacemaker, the Medtronic Micra™ Transcatheter Pacing System (TPS). The Micra TPS is the first Health Canada licenced product with miniaturized pacing technology. It is cosmetically invisible and small enough to be delivered through a catheter and implanted directly into the heart - providing a safe alternative to conventional pacemakers without the need for cardiac wires (leads).
Comparable in size to a large vitamin capsule, the Micra TPS is attached to the heart with small tines and delivers electrical impulses that pace the heart through an electrode at the end of the device. Unlike traditional pacemakers, the Micra TPS does not require leads or a surgical "pocket" under the skin, and there are no visible signs of the device. The Micra TPS responds to patients' activity levels by automatically adjusting therapy.
Micra TPS is the first and only leadless pacing system to be licenced for both 1.5 and 3 Tesla (T) full-body magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans, providing patients with continued access to these advanced imaging diagnostic procedures.
The Micra design incorporates a retrieval feature to enable repositioning if needed; however, the device is designed to be left in the body. For patients who need more than one device, the miniaturized Micra TPS was designed with a feature that enables it to be permanently turned off so it can remain in the body and a new device can be implanted without risk of electrical interaction.
In November 2015, data from the Medtronic Micra TPS Global Clinical Trial, which included two Canadian centres, were published in the New England Journal of Medicine and presented during a late-breaking Special Report at the American Heart Association Scientific Sessions. These data showed the Micra TPS was successfully implanted in 99.2 percent of patients, there were no (0) dislodgements, and the system met its safety and effectiveness endpoints with wide margins at six month follow-up.
Data presented in August 2016 at the European Society of Cardiology (ESC) Congress showed that the risk for major complications with the Micra TPS remained consistently low, with 96 percent of patients experiencing no major complications through 12 months follow-up (95 percent confidence interval, 94.2 percent-97.2 percent, P<0.0001). The Micra TPS reduced the risk of major complications by nearly half (48 percent; hazard ratio = 0.52, P=0.001) compared to conventional systems and the risk was lower across all patient sub-groups, whether measured by age, sex or comorbidity (all hazard ratios < 1.0).
The overall reduction in major complications with the Micra TPS was associated with a 47 percent decrease (p=0.017) in the risk of hospitalization and 82 percent (p<0.001) reduction in risk of system revisions (meaning extraction, repositioning or replacement) compared to conventional pacing systems.
"Dating back to the development of the first external battery operated pacemaker more than 60 years ago, Medtronic has a long history of collaborating with clinicians to better understand the needs of patients, and then innovating new products to meet those needs," said Michael Blackwell, director of the CardioVascular Group at Medtronic Canada. "We are thrilled to be the first to introduce a transcatheter pacemaker to patients in Canada, and we're looking forward to working with physicians and educating implanters to extend the positive results of our global clinical trial experience to even more patients."
The Micra TPS was awarded CE Mark in April 2015 and FDA approval in April 2016. It is intended for use in patients who need a single-chamber pacemaker. The device was designed to allow patients to be followed by their physicians and send data remotely via the Medtronic CareLink™ Network; remote monitoring of Micra devices is expected to be available in the near future.
In collaboration with leading clinicians, researchers and scientists worldwide, Medtronic offers one of the broadest ranges of innovative medical technology for the interventional and surgical treatment of cardiovascular disease and cardiac arrhythmias. The company strives to offer products and services that deliver clinical and economic value to healthcare consumers and providers around the world.
