Tucson Medical Center and Stereotaxis Bring First Vdrive(R) With V-Loop(TM) System to U.S.

Stereotaxis, Inc., a global leader in innovative technologies for the treatment of cardiac arrhythmias, and Tucson Medical Center, Tucson, Arizona's locally governed nonprofit regional hospital since 1944, announced that they have teamed up to bring the first Stereotaxis Vdrive® robotic navigation system with V-Loop™ variable loop catheter manipulator to the U.S.

With the Vdrive system, physicians can operate the hand controls of common diagnostic and therapeutic catheters from a control room during a cardiac ablation procedure. The Vdrive with V-Loop system, which received FDA clearance in September 2014, is designed to remotely control the advancement, retraction, rotation, tip deflection and loop size of a compatible circular mapping catheter, used in approximately 60,000 complex ablation procedures worldwide each year.

"We are excited and proud to be the first to offer this impressive innovation in the U.S. and particularly to the residents of Southern Arizona," said Darren Peress, MD, medical director of the Electrophysiology (EP) Lab at Tucson Medical Center (TMC). "The Vdrive with V-Loop system enables me to achieve greater stability and maneuverability of the circular mapping catheter during cardiac ablation and potentially improve acute success with even my most complex cases of persistent arrhythmia."  

The EP Lab at TMC has utilized Stereotaxis remote magnetic navigation technology in cardiac rhythm management since 2008. In early 2013, the hospital upgraded to the Stereotaxis Epoch™ Solution, which includes the latest generation remote magnetic navigation system, the Niobe® ES, the Odyssey® user interface and the Vdrive robotic navigation system, which first became available in the U.S. last year. Over the past six years, TMC has become the largest cardiac ablation program in the region, due in large part to its collaboration with Stereotaxis, according to Dr. Peress.

"I will not conduct complex EP procedures without the Stereotaxis platform," said Dr. Peress, who completes an average four to five complex ablations each week. "I trust it to outperform my own hands in precision and safety every time."

About Electrophysiology

Electrophysiology (EP) is often used to help correct heart arrhythmias through catheter ablation, which is a treatment that cauterizes (burns) cells to eliminate rhythm abnormalities in patients. During an EP procedure, the electrophysiologist (a cardiologist with specialized training in the electrical system of the heart) will thread special electrode catheters (long, thin, flexible wires) to the heart, normally gaining access to the vasculature through the groin area. Once it is determined which area of the heart is responsible for the arrhythmia, a special wire carrying radiofrequency energy is used to cauterize the site.

About Tucson Medical Center

Tucson Medical Center's mission is to deliver caring, personalized, quality healthcare to patients and their families in an environment that is supportive, education-focused and compassionate. TMC is licensed for 607 adult, pediatric and behavioral health beds. The hospital serves more than 30,000 inpatients and 122,000 outpatients yearly and has several emphasis areas, including maternal and child health, cardiac care, hospice care, neuroscience, orthopedics, diagnostic services and senior services. TMC also created the region's first emergency department dedicated specifically for kids. For more information visit www.tmcaz.com.