St. Jude Medical has launched the Promote Quadra cardiac resynchronization therapy defibrillator (CRT-D) and Quartet pacing lead in Europe. It is the first available quadripolar pacing system, which means that the left ventricular pacing lead has four pacing electrodes which can be used in different combinations or pacing configurations. This allows for placement of the lead in the most stable position, after which the different pacing electrodes can be enabled or disabled to reach the most optimal pacing pattern. In addition to simplifying lead placement, this also can be used to work around scar tissue, and to avoid having to pace at suboptimal locations where high pacing thresholds are present. Those in the United States have to wait a little longer, as there is an investigational device exemption trial ongoing.
Press release: St. Jude Medical Announces European Launch of Industry’s First Quadripolar Pacing System…