February 9, 2012 — Valley Presbyterian Hospital (VPH) was the site for the first implantation in the United States of a new heart device since the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved the DF4 High-Voltage Connector System by Medtronic earlier this month, Gus Valdespino, VPH president and CEO announced.
James Ong, M.D., performed the procedure to implant the DF4 High-Voltage Connector System in a 75-year-old man on Jan. 23. The procedure was a success, and the patient has since been released from the hospital.
The DF4 High-Voltage Connector System is a new streamlined lead for implantable defibrillators, which are designed to provide painless pacing or life-saving shock therapy to stop fast or irregular heartbeats, also known as ventricular arrhythmias, which can lead to sudden cardiac death.
The DF4 Connector System helps simplify implantation procedures via a redesigned device port and lead connector which take less space in the patient’s chest and give physicians visual confirmation of the lead connection to the device.
“Valley Presbyterian Hospital continues to lead the way in providing the most up-to-date care for its cardiac patients,” said Valdespino. “To respond to our community’s needs, we are committed to building the San Fernando Valley’s most advanced cardiology program with cardiologists, nurses and technicians who lead the region in expertise. Equipped with the latest technology and tools, our outstanding cardiology team has the ability to diagnose, intervene and treat heart problems, make faster and better-informed decisions and perform life-saving procedures.”
For more information: www.valleypres.org, www.medtronic.com