St Jude Medical has introduced the Fortify ST implantable cardioverter defibrillators (ICD) and Unify cardiac resynchronization therapy defibrillator (CRT-D) in Japan, following regulatory approval from the Japanese Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare (MHLW).
The devices feature 40J of delivered energy (45J stored) which helps to ensure that therapy will be successful for those patients who require a higher energy shock for defibrillation.
The company’s DF4 lead connector system helps by reducing the number of connections between the defibrillation lead and the device, which can improve patient comfort by reducing the bulk of wires in the patient’s chest.
The Fortify ST ICD, which features St Jude Medical’s ST segment monitoring diagnostic algorithm, continuously monitors for specific changes in the ST segment of the electrocardiogram that can indicate the onset of serious conditions such as ischemia
The Unify CRT-D and Fortify ST ICD also incorporate the new CorVue monitoring algorithm.
The algorithm continuously monitors thoracic impedance as a surrogate for fluid retention in multiple vectors, providing information that may be used to index the level of heart failure.
The devices also feature the company’s ShockGuard technology, which is designed to reduce inappropriate and unnecessary shocks for patients.