New Technology to Treat Coronary Artery Disease Debuts

ST. PAUL, Minn. — With the approval of U.S Food and Drug Administration last week, St. Jude Medical Inc. launched the Ilumien Optis PCI Optimization System, a 3-D vessel reconstruction technology that will help physicians treat patients with coronary artery disease.

The comprehensive disease assessment tool was unveiled to the public for the first time Monday at the 2013 Transcatheter Cardiovascular Therapeutics scientific symposium. The technology provides a real-time 360-degree panoramic view of arteries, which allows physicians to better understand which arteries should be treated and how best to treat them.

“The Ilumien Optis is an advancement that offers an eye-opening perspective of the coronary arteries, providing me with a more complete understanding about the extent of the patient’s disease,” said Dr. Matthew Price, director of the Cardiac Catheterization Laboratory at Scripps Green Hospital, in a statement. “The high-definition, 3-D format and the new stent placement tools allow me to create a treatment plan tailored for each patient’s unique vasculature and to confirm that I get the best possible stent result. That makes my life easier and helps the patients, too.”

Using both Fractional Flow Reserve technology to measure blood flow blockages inside the arteries and intravascular Optical Coherence Tomography for imaging, the system allows physicians to easily differentiate different kinds of plaque build-up. The new technology also offers twice the resolution of earlier technologies, automated measurements and stent planning software. The automated stent planning tools provide immediate information and may help physicians diagnose patients more quickly.

The PressureWire Aeris technology, which is integrated into the platform, measures the severity of any narrowing’s or blockages as well as the pressure difference in blood flow within the coronary arteries.

“The advancements in the Ilumien Optis system continue to build on St. Jude Medical’s leadership in providing innovative products that reduce health care costs and improve outcomes for patients battling coronary artery disease,” said Frank Callaghan, president of the St. Jude Medical Cardiovascular and Ablation Technologies Division, in a statement. “This next-generation system is scientific advancement that delivers critical information to physicians about the location and severity of disease within the coronary arteries, potentially resulting in better medical decision making and overall cost-effective treatment.”

St. Jude Medical is the only health care company to have these tools available.