Takatsuki General Hospital in Osaka has announced that Dr. Kohei Yamashiro has performed Japan’s first cardiac ablation using the Niobe(R) ES magnetic navigation system on a patient with ventricular tachycardia. Ventricular tachycardia is a rapid heart beat that arises from improper electrical activity of the heart presenting as a rapid heart rhythm beginning in the lower chambers of the heart,. known as the ventricles. This is a (potentially) life-threatening condition due to the fact that it can cause low blood pressure and may lead to ventricular fibrillation, asystole, and sudden death.
“We are excited to be the first institution in Japan to offer this unique, innovative approach to treating complex cardiac arrhythmias, which continue to rise in prevalence at a rapid rate with our aging population,” stated Yamashiro. “The Niobe system provides greater visibility and precise control of the ablation catheter, as well as significantly increased safety, which I expect to translate into improved outcomes for my patients.”
Dr. Yamashiro added that he has more than 10 procedures scheduled for the Niobe system’s first two weeks of operation.
Takatsuki General Hospital recently underwent a complete renovation to support the latest medical advances and provide higher quality, more integrated patient services. Installation of the Niobe system was completed in the second quarter, as Dr. Yamashiro, its primary operator, received comprehensive training at Stereotaxis sites in the United States. The hospital held a grand opening lecture on the Niobe system lab July 3, featuring presentations by Dr.Yamashiro and Dr. Hiroshi Nakagawa, a prominent electrophysiologist, who has educated Japanese physicians and government officials on the use of Stereotaxis technologies.
Stereotaxis is a healthcare technology and innovation leader in the development of robotic cardiology instrument navigation systems designed to enhance the treatment of arrhythmias and coronary disease, as well as information management solutions for the interventional lab.
According to the company, “over 100 issued patents support the Stereotaxis platform, which helps physicians around the world provide unsurpassed patient care with robotic precision and safety, improved lab efficiency and productivity, and enhanced integration of procedural information.” Stereotaxis’ core Epoch(R) Solution includes the Niobe(R) magnetic navigation system, the Odyssey(R) portfolio of lab optimization, networking and patient information management solutions, and the Vdrive(R) robotic navigation system and consumables.
“We have envisioned this day for some time and are very pleased to see it come to fruition,” said William C. Mills, Stereotaxis’ CEO. “Our momentum continues to build in Japan as we set our sights on becoming the region’s first choice in the treatment of complex electrophysiology cases.”
