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TO HEALTH, MEDICAL, AND NATIONAL EDITORS:
Providence Saint Joseph Medical Center Announces First Patient in U.S.
to Receive MRI Scan in Clinical Study of MRI-Compatible Pacemaker
BURBANK, Calif., April 10, 2014 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Providence
Saint Joseph Medical Center is the first hospital in the nation to
conduct an MRI scan of a patient implanted with a new MRI-compatible
pacemaker - a breakthrough because metal implants often exclude
patients from this imaging because of the strong magnetic force.
Cardiothoracic surgeon Raymond Schaerf, M.D., implanted the Accent
MRIT Pacemaker and Tendril MRIT Lead in Karolyi Fenyvesi, 82, of
Burbank, who last week successfully underwent magnetic resonance
imaging.
Led by Dr. Schaerf, Providence Saint Joseph in Burbank was part a
global clinical study to help determine if a patient can safely and
effectively undergo a full-body, high-resolution MRI scan with the
Accent MRI system.
Many patients with pacemakers and defibrillators need MRI studies to
help with their care and diagnoses, said Dr. Schaerf, a leader in the
study of MRI use on patients with implanted devices including
pacemakers and defibrillators. The Accent pacemaker was designed to be
compatible with MRI, often the preferred diagnostic tool for some
medical conditions such as cancer, stroke, spine and neurological
disorders.
"We have been privileged to have done more than 400 MRI studies
through an FDA-approved study over the last six years, but are
restricted in what studies can be performed," Dr. Schaerf said. "With
this device and system, we have made a great leap forward, and in this
patient actually did an MRI of the heart, with no problems and no
artifacts on the scan caused by metal."
Cardiac pacemakers are used to help treat abnormal heart rhythms. In
this clinical study, a pacemaker is implanted to help treat a patient
with bradycardia, a dangerously slow heart rate. A pacemaker helps
monitor the heart and provides electrical stimulation when the heart
beat is too slow.
The investigational Accent MRI pacemaker and Tendril MRI lead can be
used for full-body scans without any anatomical restrictions because
of technology designed to protect a patient from the risks associated
with an MRI environment.
More than 60 million MRI scans are performed each year around the
globe. Pacemaker patients typically are discouraged from receiving MRI
scans because their pacing system may be affected during the scan.
Michael Rembis, chief executive of Providence Saint Joseph, said he is
committed to establishing the hospital as a center of excellence in
cardiac care, and investing in innovative medical technology. The
Accent MRI Pacemaker and Tendril MRI lead, developed by St. Jude
Medical, are available in Europe and Japan. In March 2012, St. Jude
Medical received conditional investigational device exemption approval
from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to start enrollment in this
clinical study.
About Providence Health & Services: Providence Health & Services,
Southern California, is a Catholic not-for-profit, mission-driven
healthcare system. Providence Southern California operates six
award-winning hospitals and a comprehensive, fully-integrated network
of primary care clinics, urgent care centers, home care, TrinityCare
and TrinityKids Care hospice as well as Providence High School.
Providence is anchored locally by Providence Holy Cross Medical Center
in Mission Hills, Providence Saint Joseph Medical Center in Burbank,
Providence Saint John's Health Center in Santa Monica, Providence
Tarzana Medical Center and Providence Little Company of Mary Medical
Centers in Torrance and San Pedro. With more than 3,400 physicians,
Providence provides coordinated primary and specialty care through an
array of physician groups and individual providers including
Providence Medical Institute and physician groups in the South Bay,
the West Valley and Santa Clarita. Providence affiliate, Facey Medical
Group, provides primary and specialized care in the San Fernando,
Santa Clarita and San Gabriel valleys. For more information, visit
California.providence.org.
SOURCE Providence Saint Joseph Medical Center
-0- 04/10/2014
/CONTACT: Patricia Aidem (818) 496-4780, (818) 631-7429
CO: Providence Saint Joseph Medical Center
ST: California
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SU: TRI SVY NPT
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0000 04/10/2014 22:44:00 EDT http://www.prnewswire.com
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