Boston Scientific heart failure lead ‘allows easy manoeuvring’

Boston Scientific has reported that its Acuity Steerable left-ventricular lead designed for use in conjunction with the cardiac resynchronisation therapy defibrillators and pacemaker heart failure treatments provides clinicians with improved manoeuvrability during procedures.

The Acuity lead includes a deflectable tip to simplify its placement in branch vessels on the left side of the heart that are difficult to reach, while the lead itself is an insulated wire that transports a signal from the heart to the device and returns energy from said device to the heart.

Dr Stephen Mester, medical director of the electrophysiology lab at Tampa General Hospital, said: “The ability to place a left ventricular lead precisely where it will stimulate the heart most effectively is a key factor in providing patients with optimal cardiac resynchronisation therapy.”

He added that the deflectable tip in the Acuity Steerable lead facilitates control similar to that afforded by an electrophysiology catheter with simplified manoeuvring into side-branch vessels.

Following the recent receipt of approval from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Boston Scientific has reported that it is anticipating its launch to enable physicians to make the therapy available to patients suffering from heart failure.

Earlier this week, Boston Scientific reported that the firm had resolved the issues arising from a warning letter from the FDA relating to Guidant in December 2005, a firm acquired by the company last year.