Medical equipment maker Stereotaxis Inc. (STXS) has reported adoption milestone for its Vdrive robotic navigation system in Europe. The company said that the device is gaining popularity in the continent and is expected to exceed 500 clinical procedures in February 2012.
Vdrive enables surgeons to remotely manipulate traditionally non-robotic catheters. According to Stereotaxis, since its initial launch in Europe last year, the product has been deployed in nine centers with more units slated to be installed in additional centers during first-quarter 2012. The initial nine centers have already performed 473 clinical procedures (mostly left atrial surgeries) and have achieved positive clinical outcome.
The Vdrive system minimizes the need to re-enter the sterile field to adjust devices in a fully remote procedure environment. Initial clinical results from surgeons in Europe showed that this simplification saves at least 30 minutes in robotic procedures, depending on the individual clinical technique.
Separately, Stereotaxis announced that the Vdrive system has been cleared for marketing in Canada. With this approval and the planned installations across Europe and Canada, the company is well placed to drive further adoption of this innovative technology in electrophysiology (“EP”) labs in these key markets.
Missouri-based Stereotaxis develops and markets advanced cardiology instrument control system for use in cardiac catheterization labs for the treatment of coronary artery disease and arrhythmias. The company’s competitors include Boston Scientific (BSX) and Edwards Lifesciences (EW).
Stereotaxis offers the Niobe Magnetic Navigation System, which allows physicians to perform complex interventional procedures. Moreover, its Odyssey Enterprise Solution integrates and records all lab data allowing physicians to focus on the patient for optimal procedure efficiency.
The company, in December 2011, began shipment of its new Epoch platform designed for the EP labs. Epoch is geared to improve efficiency of cardiac procedures and increase workflow by enabling physicians to control procedures remotely. The platform integrates the benefits of remote magnetic catheter control, the efficiency of remote robotic device manipulation and the Vdrive system, allowing highly sophisticated procedural data integration and transmission.
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