Device Technology Update

Dear readers,

This month we shift our focus to device technology. Specifically, we attempt to answer these questions: (1) how far have we come; (2) what do we still need to work on; and (3) what is on the horizon? Please check out these two highlighted articles in particular: As we celebrate the 50th anniversary of defibrillation this year, we bring you an article by Dr. Ross Zoll, who discusses how his father, Dr. Paul Zoll, was the first to successfully perform external defibrillation on a human in 1956. Interestingly, at the time when they tried to market the technology, they found there was little interest for a non-invasive pacing device; in fact, many cardiologists did not see a need for it. Their achievements in defibrillation, however, have made EP what it is today. This brings us to present-day electrophysiology, where new advancements continue to arise. This month's 10-Minute Interview on Michael Weiner, CEO of Biophan Technologies, Inc., explores several of Biophan's new patented technologies that were recently accepted. One patent adds a monitoring signal to current devices to help detect ventricular fibrillation earlier, and the other patent helps prolong the battery life of devices. I hope you enjoy this month's issue of EP Lab Digest! Please feel free to email me your thoughts and suggestions.

Thanks for reading!