Philips announces first patient treated with its new real-time 3D intracardiac echocardiography catheter – VeriSight Pro

Royal Philips announced FDA 510k-clearance of real-time 3D intracardiac echocardiography (ICE) VeriSight Pro catheter which has the potential to improve standard of care for structural heart disease and electrophysiology procedures.

The first 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 –which 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 3.0mm 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.

.