St. Jude Medical to again participate in Asia-Pacific Heart Rhythm Society Scientific Session

St. Jude MedicalSep 16 2011

St. Jude Medical, Inc. (NYSE:STJ), a global medical device company, is pleased to again participate in the Asia-Pacific Heart Rhythm Society Scientific Session (APHRS), which is being held this year in conjunction with the Japanese Heart Rhythm Society (JHRS) and the Japanese Society of Electrocardiology (JSE) in Fukuoka, Japan.

The clinical solutions from the company's arrhythmia management portfolio are some of the most technologically advanced therapies and devices in Asian markets. Additionally, the sponsored symposia and virtual reality technology highlight the company's commitment to providing a comprehensive learning platform for physicians.

Commenting on the company's presence at APHRS, William Phillips, president of St. Jude Medical Japan said, "St. Jude Medical is pleased to once again be one of the largest sponsors of the annual APHRS congress, and to help support the advancement of the practice of medicine with physicians throughout Asia. We continue to invest in Japan and the Asia Pacific region by broadening our product portfolio and investing in ongoing education with our advanced technology centers to help physicians develop the knowledge and skill needed to enhance patient care."

Focus on Physician Education

St. Jude Medical regularly partners with societies, institutions and physicians to help drive continuous learning. The company recently partnered with APHRS to help with the design and to lead courses at one of the company's Advanced Technology Centers, which opened in Beijing earlier this year. The courses provide realistic, hands-on experiences for physicians who help treat cardiac-related illnesses. The company plans to open a new Advanced Technology Center in Tokyo in 2012.

A virtual reality simulator from the company's Advanced Technology Center will again be accessible at the St. Jude Medical innovation suite. Designed to help enhance patient care, the hands-on simulator offers physicians access to advanced cardiac care techniques and best clinical practices using the latest St. Jude Medical technology to simulate procedures, such as implanting a left ventricular (LV) lead or performing a transseptal puncture. From guiding catheters through the vessels, to optimally placing a lead in a human-size model, the unique experiences from the virtual reality technology help enhance physician education.

In addition, St. Jude Medical has sponsored several scientific symposia including:

• Remote Disease Management: This symposium takes place Sept. 20 at 12 p.m. in Room C. It addresses future diagnostic uses for remote monitoring and early experiences for Asia patients, and is chaired by Dr. Chun Chieh Wang.
• Effective Technologies and Approaches for AF Management: This symposium takes place Sept. 21 at 12 p.m. in Room J. It focuses on streamlining cardiac mapping and improving outcomes with the latest ablation technologies, and is jointly chaired by Prof. Young Hoon Kim and Prof. Shih Ann Chen.
• Advanced Heart Failure Management with Quadripolar Technology: This symposium takes place Sept. 22 at 12 p.m. in Room D. It provides information about how quadripolar technology offers more options to manage pacing complications and is hosted by Dr. Anil Saxena.

Arrhythmia Management Products on Display

Products and technologies will be on display at the St. Jude Medical booth during exhibit hall hours. For additional information about the products displayed in the St. Jude Medical booth, please visit sjm.com.

• Unify™ CRT-D and Fortify™ ST ICD: The Unify cardiac resynchronization therapy defibrillator (CRT-D) and Fortify implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) is a new family of devices that feature advanced battery technology and circuitry that allow for the smallest device footprint in the industry and rapid charge times, without any compromise in device longevity or power. Because of the devices' narrower shape, physicians can implant them using a shorter incision, leading to less time spent closing the incision and a smaller scar for the patient. The technologies also incorporate the company's first-to-market ST segment monitoring diagnostic algorithm (available in Fortify ST ICD) that continuously monitors for specific changes in the ST segment of the electrocardiogram that can indicate the onset of serious conditions such as ischemia (which occurs when blood flow/oxygen to the heart muscle is obstructed). The Unify CRT-D and Fortify ICD are approved for use in the U.S., Japan, Europe, Australia, New Zealand, India, Taiwan, Korea, Malaysia, and Hong Kong, among other geographies.
• Accent™ RF Pacemaker and Anthem™ RF CRT-P: The Accent and Anthem product family features RF telemetry that enables secure, wireless communication between the implanted device and the programmer used by the physician or clinician, making it the first integrated system of pacing devices with wireless telemetry from implant through follow-up. The remote monitoring capabilities permit automated follow-up, and daily device safety checks with no patient action required. The products are approved for use in the U.S., Japan, Europe, China, Australia, New Zealand, India, Taiwan, Korea, Malaysia, and Hong Kong, among other geographies.
• EnSite Velocity™ Cardiac Mapping System: The next-generation of the industry-leading EnSite™ System is designed to help physicians more efficiently diagnose abnormal heart rhythms. The EnSite Velocity System creates a three-dimensional (3-D) model of the patient's heart, allowing physicians to visualize their patient's unique anatomy with great detail. Physicians can then quickly locate the source of the arrhythmia and formulate a treatment strategy. It is the only cardiac mapping system that is compatible with both contact mapping (NavX) and non-contact mapping (Array) technologies. The new platform is customizable, providing the flexibility to better integrate current and future technology. The EnSite Velocity is approved for use in the U.S., Europe, China, Japan, Australia, Korea, India, Hong Kong, Singapore, Thailand, and Malaysia, among other geographies.
• Other products on display include the EP-Workmate™ Recording System, Agilis NxT™ Steerable Introducer, the Cool Point™ Irrigation Pump, among others.