FDA Clears Defibrillator Leads

A line of endocardial leads that connect an implantable defibrillator to the heart through a vein have been cleared by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The line, called Reliance, is from Guidant Corp. (Indianapolis, IN, USA), which states they are based on next-generation defibrillator lead technology.

Endocardial leads are thin, insulated wires that transmit signals from the heart to the implantable defibrillator and, when appropriate, deliver therapy from the implantable defibrillator back to the heart. The Reliance leads are available in single and dual coil configurations. The lead has a smooth, isodiametric body to aid in positioning and shorter terminal legs to reduce material at the implant site. Reliance leads are backed by a lifetime warranty, says Guidant, which pioneered the development of the endocardial defibrillation lead.

"The improved flexibility of Reliance made it easy to position in the right ventricle and place at the desired location to achieve excellent electrical values and low defibrillation thresholds,” reported Dr. Andreas Schuchert of the University Hospital of Hamburg-Eppendorf (Germany).