PITTSBURGH, Jan. 24 /PRNewswire/ -- CardiacAssist, Inc., a Pittsburgh- based medical device company that develops, manufactures and markets cardiac assist devices, is exhibiting the TandemHeart(R) PTVA(R) System in San Diego at the Society for Thoracic Surgeons (STS) 43rd Annual Meeting. The TandemHeart System provides extracorporeal support through a percutaneous cardiac catheterization procedure in as little as 30 minutes.
The STS Annual Meeting and Exhibition will be held in the San Diego Convention Center in San Diego, Calif., Jan. 28-31, 2007. CardiacAssist will be in booth number 1227-1229 with information and displays pertaining to its TandemHeart System.
Additionally, CardiacAssist will hold an evening meeting by invitation on Monday, January 29th, with key users from Texas Heart Institute, Methodist DeBakey Heart Center, Advocate Christ Hospital and Emory University Hospital. Current and prospective customers are encouraged to attend to learn more about TandemHeart System uses. STS attendees interested in attending this meeting should visit CardiacAssist’s booth to receive an invitation. To RSVP for the event, please contact Monica Bush at 412-963-7770 ext. 247 or mbush@cardiacassist.com.
“The clinical experience with TandemHeart is now very substantial,” said CardiacAssist CEO Michael Garippa. “Design improvements have made the system more portable and capable of delivering up to 5 liters per minute of critical blood flow. We’re very excited about the prospects for 2007 as our technology continues to be adopted by hospitals and institutions around the U.S. and around the world.”
CardiacAssist recently surpassed its 800th successful TandemHeart System procedure in a case performed at the Texas Heart Institute, and the recently introduced Escort Controller component (www.cardiacassist.com/tandemheart/controller.asp) is now available and shipping.
The new, lightweight, space-saving Escort Controller is one of three primary components that make up the TandemHeart PTVA System. Weighing only 21 pounds, the Escort Controller replaces the original 93-pound TandemHeart Controller. It can be mounted at bedside, on an IV pole or on a table top. It is intended primarily for AC power use, but has enough battery back-up power for an hour of operation.
The TandemHeart System is designed to be used as a short-term extracorporeal circulatory support system for procedures not requiring complete cardiopulmonary bypass. The device has received FDA 510(k) clearance for short-term use for 6 hours and is the only FDA approved device of its kind in the U.S.
The TandemHeart System is fully reimbursed by Medicare under existing DRG codes. The device can be placed rapidly in the cath lab or operating room, providing effective, reliable, temporary circulatory support.
To date, more than 800 uses of the device in 28 countries at 90 different facilities by 120 different physicians have been performed. If you can’t visit CardiacAssist at STS San Diego, please join the company March 24 - 27, 2007, at the American College of Cardiology’s 56th Annual Scientific Session in New Orleans, La. The scientific session will include the 2nd Annual Innovation in Intervention: i2 Summit.
About CardiacAssist
Founded in 1996, CardiacAssist, Inc. is a privately held, Pittsburgh-based medical device company that develops, manufactures and markets innovative products designed to provide cardiologists and cardiac surgeons with minimally invasive solutions for providing extracorporeal circulatory support. Its vision is to help advance the treatment of heart disease by bridging gaps in current treatment methodologies.
This press release may contain certain forward-looking statements that relate to CardiacAssist’s future business and financial performance. Such statements are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties that may cause the actual events or future results to differ from those discussed herein.
Media Contact: Jennifer Hanson Armada Medical Marketing 303-623-1190 x239 jenniferh@armadamedical.com Monica Bush CardiacAssist, Inc. 412-963-7770 x247 mbush@cardiacassist.com
CardiacAssist, Inc.
CONTACT: Jennifer Hanson of Armada Medical Marketing, +1-303-623-1190,ext. 239, or jenniferh@armadamedical.com; or Monica Bush of CardiacAssist,Inc., +1-412-963-7770, ext. 247, or mbush@cardiacassist.com
Web site: http://www.cardiacassist.com/http://www.cardiacassist.com/tandemheart/controller.asp/http://www.expo.acc.org/ACC2007/public/e_ExhibitorHome.aspx/
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