Philips, Bard Develop New Tools to Treat Heart Rhythm Disorders

January 16, 2009 – As EP procedure volume increases worldwide, clinicians are requesting intuitive, advanced tools to help shorten procedure times and gain detailed visualizations for interventions, which inspired Royal Philips Electronics to sign an agreement with Bard Electrophysiology, a division of C. R. Bard Inc., to co-develop new clinical tools to help electrophysiologists.

The goal of the combination of Bard’s LabSystem PRO EP Recording System and Philips’ EP navigator and the Allura Xper FD series is to provide electrophysiologists a faster and easier way to integrate image guidance with mapping and analysis of complex arrhythmias, while offering insights for more accurate interventional navigation. EP physicians and lab staff may also benefit from improved workflow in the EP lab due to integration and compatibility between Philips and Bard technologies.

“Providing simpler and more intuitive approaches to the management of complex arrhythmias is something that fascinates me,” said Michael V. Orlov, M.D., Ph.D., director of arrhythmia service at Caritas St. Elizabeth’s Medical Center of Boston and an associate professor of Medicine at Tufts University School of Medicine. “Significant advancement in science and technology is frequently made when two seemingly dissimilar techniques are merged. The collaboration between Bard Electrophysiology and Philips is very promising, and I am looking forward to learning more about the potential for these new technologies in my practice,"

Bard said the alliance will provide alternatives to current solutions that are complex and time consuming. The two companies hope to create new, simpler approaches to these clinical challenges, expand functionality and improve efficiencies.

Bard offers advanced RF ablation and mapping catheters, diagnostic catheters, EP recording systems and stimulators, and intracardiac access products.

For more information: www.philips.com, www.bardep.com