A blog about what is new (and old) in the world of active implantable medical devices

Category Archives: St. Jude Medical

Abbott’s St Jude Medical to Pay $27 Million to Settle DOJ Claims they Knowingly Sold Defective ICDs

Posted on by Posted in Abbott, Cardioversion/Defibrillation, Heart Failure (CHF), St. Jude Medical, Tachycardia

In October 2016, St. Jude Medical (now Abbott) issued an advisory on a family of ICD and CRT-D devices that may develop Lithium deposits within the battery leading to a short circuit and result in premature and potentially rapid battery depletion.  However, according to the DOJ, St. Jude was already aware of the issue by 2013.   In 2014 St Jude asked the FDA to approve an update to the devices to mitigate the battery issue. In its request, St. Jude claimed that the issue had not caused any serious injuries or deaths, but the DOJ claimed that the company had been informed of two injuries and one death caused by the issue.

The lawsuit covers the period between November 2014 and October 2016, during which the DOJ claims St. Jude was fully aware of the device’s issues but continued selling thousands of devices.  By August 2016, St. Jude reported to FDA two more deaths linked to this issue, and over 700 cases of premature battery depletion.

The federal case was brought under the False Claims Act based on the allegation that by continuing to sell the potentially harmful products to healthcare facilities and implanted in patients enrolled in Medicare and Medicaid, St. Jude played a role in securing government payments for devices that they knew were defective. It was announced on July 8, 2021 that St. Jude Medical agreed to pay $27 million to settle this case.

 

Nice Abbott Video on CONFIRM Rx ILR

Posted on by Posted in Abbott, Atrial Flutter/Fib, Bradycardia, ECG Monitoring, St. Jude Medical, Tachycardia

Image Credit: Abbott

Abbott released a very nice video on the (St Jude Medical) CONFIRM Rx Implantable Loop Recorder (ILR):

An interesting interview with Avi Fischer, M.D., divisional vice president and medical director of Abbott’s cardiac rhythm management business about the impact of the CONFIRM Rx Implantable Cardiac Monitor was published today by Medgadget.

St. Jude’s Protégé Upgradeable Neurostimulator Receives FDA Approval

Posted on by Posted in Pain, Spinal Cord Stimulation, St. Jude Medical

St. Jude Protege Neurostimulator www.implantable-device.com David Prutchi PhD

St. Jude Medical today announced the approval of its Protégé™ IPG from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Protégé is the first and only neurostimulation system that allows spinal cord stimulation (SCS) technology upgrades as they are approved to be made via software updates.  According to the press release:

Chronic pain sufferers implanted with this new device can access innovative therapies, stimulation modes, diagnostics or other features once approved through future software upgrades — without the need to surgically replace their medical device.

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St. Jude Implants First US Patient with its Nanostim Leadless Cardiac Pacemaker

Posted on by Posted in Cardiac Pacing, Nanostim, St. Jude Medical

IMAGE_Nanostim_Product_Shot[1]

St. Jude today announced the first U.S. implant in the company’s LEADLESS II pivotal trial designed to evaluate the Nanostim™ leadless pacemaker for FDA approval. The world’s first retrievable, non-surgical pacemaker was implanted at The Mount Sinai Hospital in New York City by Dr. Vivek Reddy.  The LEADLESS II pivotal trial is a prospective, non-randomized, multi-center, international clinical research trial designed to evaluate the safety and effectiveness of the Nanostim leadless pacemaker in patients indicated for the device. It is being conducted under an Investigational Device Exemption (IDE) from the FDA, and will enroll approximately 670 patients at 50 centers in the U.S., Canada and Europe.

According to the press release:

The Nanostim leadless pacemaker is designed to be placed directly in the heart without the visible surgical pocket, scar and insulated wires (called leads) required for conventional pacemakers. Implanted via the femoral vein with a steerable catheter, the device offers physicians the same pacing therapy through a less-invasive approach as compared to traditional pacemaker procedures that require more extensive surgery. The device is designed to be fully retrievable, so that it can be readily repositioned throughout the implant procedure and later retrieved if necessary.

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St. Jude Medical Announces Q4 2013 Results: CRM Up 4%, Neuromodulation Up 2%

Posted on by Posted in AIMD Business, St. Jude Medical

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St Jude Medical announced that its Cardiac Rhythm Management sales increased 5 percent on a constant-currency basis over the fourth quarter of 2012.  Neuromodulation sales for the same period increased by 2%.  According to the press release:

Cardiac Rhythm Management

Total CRM sales, which include implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) and pacemaker products, were $705 million for the fourth quarter of 2013, a 3 percent increase compared with the fourth quarter of 2012. After adjusting for the impact of foreign currency, total CRM sales increased 5 percent. Total CRM product sales for the full-year 2013 were $2.783 billion, down approximately 2 percent from 2012. On a constant-currency basis, total CRM sales declined 1 percent from the prior year.

Of that total, ICD product sales were $442 million in the fourth quarter, a 5 percent increase on a reported and constant-currency basis compared with the fourth quarter of 2012. ICD product sales for the full-year 2013 were $1.741 billion, flat when compared with 2012. On a constant-currency basis, total ICD sales increased 1 percent over the prior year.

Fourth quarter pacemaker sales were $263 million, a 1 percent increase compared with the fourth quarter of 2012. On a constant-currency basis, pacemaker product sales increased 4 percent in the fourth quarter. Total pacemaker sales for 2013 were $1.042 billion, down 6 percent compared with pacemaker sales in 2012. On a constant-currency basis, total pacemaker sales declined 4 percent from the prior year.

Neuromodulation

St. Jude Medical sales of neuromodulation products were $115 million in the fourth quarter of 2013, a 2 percent increase on a reported and constant-currency basis over the prior year. Total neuromodulation product sales for 2013 were $426 million, a 1 percent increase over 2012 sales.

 

 

St. Jude Studies Combined PNFS and SCS for Chronic Low Back and Leg Pain

Posted on by Posted in Pain, PNS, Spinal Cord Stimulation, St. Jude Medical

St Jude Medical Eon and Eon Mini Spinal Cord Stimulators

St. Jude announced today that it has launched the SENSE™ Subcutaneous and Epidural Neuromodulation System Evaluation study – a clinical study to evaluate the combination of peripheral nerve field stimulation (PNfS), and spinal cord stimulation (SCS), to determine whether the two therapies together offer more effective management of chronic low back and leg pain than SCS alone.

According to the press release:

Peripheral nerve field stimulation and SCS are minimally-invasive neurostimulation therapies that involve the implant of a stimulation device and small electrical leads. In SCS, leads are placed in the epidural space to interrupt or mask the transmission of pain signals to the brain. In PNfS, leads are placed just under the skin in the subcutaneous tissue to stimulate the network of peripheral nerve fibers in order to reduce the pain at the location where it is most severe. PNfS is not the same as peripheral nerve stimulation (PNS), which targets a specific nerve. Instead, PNfS targets a more general network of nerves.

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St. Jude Launches SUNBURST Study to Evaluate New Prodigy Neurostimulator’s Burst Stimulation for Chronic Pain

Posted on by Posted in Pain, Spinal Cord Stimulation, St. Jude Medical

St Jude Prodigy Neurostimulator Burst David Prutchi PhD www.implantable-device.comSt. Jude announced today that it has initiated a clinical study of the Prodigy™ neurostimulator, which is the first SCS system able to deliver a proprietary mode of stimulation therapy called burst stimulation.

The purpose of the SUNBURST™ (Success Using Neuromodulation with BURST) study is to evaluate whether burst stimulation can be more effective in managing chronic pain than traditional tonic stimulation.

According to the press release:

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St. Jude Q3 2013 AIMD Results: CRM Down 1%, Neuromodulation 3% Up

Posted on by Posted in AIMD Business, St. Jude Medical

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From today’s press release:

Cardiac Rhythm Management (CRM)

Total CRM sales, which include implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) and pacemaker products, were $682 million for the third quarter of 2013, a 1 percent decrease compared to the third quarter of 2012. After adjusting for the impact of foreign currency, total CRM sales were flat.

Of that total, ICD product sales were $418 million in the third quarter, a 1 percent increase compared to the third quarter of 2012. ICD revenue increased 2 percent after adjusting for the impact of foreign currency.

Second quarter pacemaker sales were $264 million, a 5 percent decrease compared to the third quarter of 2012. On a currency neutral basis, pacemaker revenue declined 3 percent.

Neuromodulation

St. Jude Medical sales of neuromodulation products were $104 million in the third quarter of 2013, up approximately 3 percent from the prior year on a reported and currency neutral basis.

 

St. Jude Acquires Nanostim, Announces CE Mark of World’s First Leadless Pacemaker

Posted on by Posted in AIMD Business, Bradycardia, Cardiac Pacing, Nanostim, St. Jude Medical

cbhayden@me.com

St. Jude Medical today announced the completion of its acquisition of Nanostim, Inc., a privately-owned developer of miniaturized, leadless pacemakers. The acquisition adds the world’s first and only leadless pacemaker to the St. Jude Medical product portfolio.

httpv://youtu.be/P6PLiyzatOo

According to the press release:

Unlike conventional pacemakers that require a more invasive surgery, the Nanostim™ leadless pacemaker is designed to be implanted directly into the heart via a minimally invasive procedure. The device is delivered using a steerable catheter through the femoral vein, eliminating the need to surgically create a pocket for the pacemaker and insulated wires (called leads) that have historically been recognized as the most vulnerable component of pacing systems. The Nanostim leadless pacemaker recently received CE Mark approval and will be available soon in select European markets. It also recently received U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) conditional approval for its Investigational Device Exemption (IDE) application and pivotal clinical trial protocol to begin evaluating Nanostim leadless technology in the U.S.

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FDA Panel Majority Votes Against Effectiveness of CardioMEMS CHAMPION HF Monitoring Device

Posted on by Posted in CardioMEMS, Heart Failure (CHF), St. Jude Medical, Telemetry

CardioMEMS miniature implantable sensor for heart failure and aneurism management

Although the FDA advisory panel found CardioMEMS’ CHAMPION HF Pressure Measurement System to be safe, on October 9, 2013, the majority of panel members decided that the implantable sensor monitor to help guide treatment in patients with congestive heart failure is not effective.

According to Forbes, one panel member said it was difficult to connect the dots between use of the monitor and decreased hospitalization and lack of data on use in women.

This is not the first time that CardioMEMS attempts to receive PMA approval.  In 2011 FDA rejected the Champion implantable monitoring system for heart failure for premarket approval, in part due to questions about the validity of presented data. Last year, CardioMEMS received an FDA Warning Letter.

St. Jude Q2 2013 AIMD Results: CRM Down 4%, Neuromodulation 2% Up

Posted on by Posted in AIMD Business, St. Jude Medical

logo_StJudeMedical

From today’s press release:

“Cardiac Rhythm Management (CRM)

Total CRM sales, which include implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) and pacemaker products, were $718 million for the second quarter of 2013, a 4 percent decrease compared to the second quarter of 2012. After adjusting for the impact of foreign currency, total CRM sales decreased 2 percent.

Of that total, ICD product sales were $454 million in the second quarter, a 1 percent decrease compared to the second quarter of 2012. ICD revenue was flat after adjusting for the impact of foreign currency.

Second quarter pacemaker sales were $264 million, an 8 percent decrease compared to the second quarter of 2012. On a currency neutral basis, pacemaker revenue declined 6 percent.”

…

“Neuromodulation

St. Jude Medical sales of neuromodulation products were $108 million in the second quarter of 2013, up approximately 2 percent from the prior year.”

 

 

St Jude Receives CE Mark for Quadra Assura MP™ Multipoint CRT-D

Posted on by Posted in Bradycardia, Cardiac Pacing, Cardioversion/Defibrillation, Heart Failure (CHF), St. Jude Medical, Tachycardia

SJM_QuadraAssuraMPSt. Jude Medical today announced CE Mark approval of its next-generation quadripolar device, the Quadra Assura MP™ cardiac resynchronization therapy defibrillator (CRT-D). The device features MultiPoint™ Pacing (MPP) technology that enables physicians to pace multiple locations on the left side of the heart. This gives the clinician more choices to best optimize cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) pacing to meet individual patient needs.

According to the press release:

The Quadra Assura MP CRT-D is designed to work with the Quartet™ Lead, which has four electrodes to offer maximum flexibility for different pacing configurations. The new MPP capability allows physicians to program simultaneous or sequential delivery of two left ventricular (LV) pulses per pacing cycle, rather than the standard single pacing pulse. The capability to deliver two LV pulses per cycle allows physicians to tailor CRT pacing for each patient, potentially leading to more effective outcomes compared to single site pacing, which may be particularly beneficial in patients not responding to traditional bi-ventricular pacing therapy.

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FDA Approves St. Jude’s Ellipse™ and SJM Assura™ Portfolio of ICDs and CRT-D Devices

Posted on by Posted in Cardiac Pacing, Cardioversion/Defibrillation, Heart Failure (CHF), St. Jude Medical, Tachycardia

St Jude Medical Assura Ellipse ICD CRT-D www.implantable-device.com David Prutchi PhD

St. Jude Medical announced FDA approval of its next-generation Ellipse™ and SJM Assura™ portfolio of implantable cardioverter defibrillators (ICDs) and cardiac resynchronization therapy defibrillators (CRT-Ds). The new devices are designed to lower the risk of lead abrasion and to ensure high-voltage therapy delivery.

According to the announcement:

The Ellipse and SJM Assura family of devices feature the DynamicTx™ Over-Current Detection Algorithm, which automatically adjusts shocking configurations to ensure the delivery of high-voltage therapy even if an electrical short in one portion of the system were to occur. In addition, the next-generation Ellipse and SJM Assura portfolio of implantable defibrillators have a low-friction coating on the device can, which has been demonstrated in testing to significantly reduce the friction between the device and leads. As such, the low-friction coating provides an extra layer of insulation and is designed to reduce the risk for lead-to-can abrasion, the most common type of lead insulation failure in the industry.

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St. Jude Medical Signs $40M Equity Investment and $300M Option with Spinal Modulation

Posted on by Posted in Dorsal Root Ganglion Stimulation, Pain, Spinal Cord Stimulation, Spinal Modulation, St. Jude Medical

Axium Neurostimulator David Prutchi PhD www.implantable-device.comSt. Jude Medical and privately-held Spinal Modulation, Inc., today announced that they have entered into a series of agreements under which St. Jude Medical made a $40 million equity investment in Spinal Modulation, a company that has developed an innovative neuromodulation therapy that provides a new pain management option for patients with chronic, intractable pain.

According to the announcement, “the agreement provides St. Jude Medical with an exclusive option to distribute the Axium™ Neurostimulator System, developed and manufactured by Spinal Modulation, in international markets where it is approved for sale. Additionally, St. Jude Medical will have the exclusive option to acquire the company for up to $300 million plus certain revenue-based milestones following U.S. commercialization.

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St. Jude Launches Allure Quadra™ CRT-P IPG with Quadripolar Lead Technology

Posted on by Posted in Bradycardia, Cardiac Pacing, Heart Failure (CHF), St. Jude Medical

St. Jude Launches Allure Quadra™ CRT-P IPG with Quadripolar Lead TechnologySt. Jude Medical today announced CE Mark approval and European launch of its Allure Quadra™ Cardiac Resynchronization Therapy Pacemaker (CRT-P), which brings the quadripolar lead technology to the pacemaker market for the first time.  According to the press release:

“Quadripolar leads allow for increased implant efficiencies, which clinical data indicates can result in fewer surgical revisions. The Allure family of devices also offer enhanced heart failure (HF) diagnostics, including CorVue™ Impedance Monitoring, for improved patient management.

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