January 10, 2017 — BioVentrix Inc. announced in December the first closed-chest Revivent TC TransCatheter Ventricular Enhancement System procedure in Germany since receiving CE mark certification. The Less Invasive Ventricular Enhancement (LIVE) procedure was performed by interventional cardiologists Christian Frerker, M.D. and Tobias Schmidt, M.D., and by cardiothoracic surgeon Ralf Bader, M.D., at Asklepios Klinik St. Georg in Hamburg, Germany. The St. Georg Heart team is led by Prof. Dr. Karl-Heinz Kuck, who is also the chairman of the Department of Cardiology and Electrophysiology.
The physicians implanted two anchor pairs and achieved a left ventricular volume reduction of 24 percent, which is a significant improvement for a patient suffering from ischemic heart failure. Left ventricular volume reduction is a common measure of cardiac performance that significantly impacts the short and long-term survival rates. By remodeling the LV to a more normal shape and size, the implant improves pumping efficiency, decreases wall stress and immediately reverses patient symptoms.
"We are pleased to be the first center in Germany to perform the Revivent TC procedure after CE mark certification," said Frerker. "The Revivent TC procedure continues to show significant clinical benefits to patients who suffer from ischemic cardiomyopathy post-myocardial infarction. It's a viable solution when guideline directed medical therapy (GDMT) is not suitable," he continued.
"The 24 percent volume reduction should directly impact the heart's pumping efficiency, which is a positive outcome for ischemic patients. That will result in an improvement in the patient's quality of life," added Schmidt. "This is the only minimally invasive technology which enables plication of scar tissue resulting in complete exclusion outside the LV cavity," he continued.
"The Revivent TC procedure alleviates wall stress by the reshaping of the left ventricle and allowing for the heart to operate as it was intended to going forward. The immediate impact the Revivent TC procedure has on a patient is life-changing," added Bader.
For more information: www.bioventrix.com