Medtronic commences new study of Reveal Linq cardiac monitor

Medtronic has announced the commencement of a new study to evaluate the benefits of in-office insertion of its Reveal Linq cardiac monitor.

The RIO 2 study aims to determine if the insertable cardiac monitor procedure, when performed in an in-office setting, is as safe as it is when performed in a traditional hospital setting.

One of the devices has already been successfully implanted in an office setting at Scripps Clinic in La Jolla, with approximately 540 patients to be enrolled across 30 centres in the US.

Patients will be followed for approximately three months and evaluated for procedure and device-related complications, and also for procedure time and resources required to perform the operation.

Nina Goodheart, vice-president and general manager of the diagnostics business in Medtronic's cardiac rhythm and heart failure division, said: "Moving the insertion procedure to the office setting has the potential to improve patient access to cardiac monitoring while enhancing the overall patient experience."

The Reveal Linq device is the world's smallest cardiac monitor and was approved for use in the US last year.