Clamart, France, 12 January 2025 – MicroPort® CRM commemorates a remarkable achievement: the 30th anniversary of the implantation of the world’s first dual-chamber Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillator (ICD). This historic achievement made possible by the first implantation of the DEFENDER™ ICD on January 12, 1995, in Strasbourg, France, set the stage for transformative advancements in Cardiac Rhythm Management.
“Celebrating the 30-year anniversary of the world’s first dual-chamber ICD is a proud moment for MicroPort® CRM, showcasing our role in setting standards and a testament to our commitment to advancing cardiac care,” said Philippe Wanstok, President of MicroPort® CRM.
The DEFENDER™ ICD marked a groundbreaking advancement in technology, offering remarkable longevity even at its inception and empowering patients with reliable, life-saving technology that has continued to evolve over the past three decades. MicroPort® CRM has remained committed to delivering cutting-edge solutions to transform the care of heart patients worldwide. Our key advancements in the field of cardiac defibrillation include PARAD+™ arrhythmia discrimination algorithm with the clinically proven lowest rate of inappropriate shocks1, AutoMRI™ function that automatically switches the device into a specific mode to protect patients during Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) examinations2 or Bluetooth®3 connectivity, enabling seamless monitoring and data transmission for enhanced patient management.
As we honor this impressive journey, 2025 serves as a testament to MicroPort® CRM’s enduring dedication to improving cardiac health. The introduction of the first dual-chamber ICD not only revolutionized the field but also paved the way for ongoing innovation, enabling healthier hearts and lives for generations to come.
Daniel Kroiss, one of the creators of the DEFENDER™ ICD with nearly 40 years of dedication to the company declared "With a pioneering spirit, we created the world's first dual-chamber defibrillator, an innovation that not only redefined arrhythmia treatment but also laid the foundation for PARAD, our rhythm discriminator algorithm, still regarded as best-in-class today. I remember our first device was too large for pectoral implantation, so we implanted it abdominally, tunneling the leads to the heart. Looking back, we didn’t just build a defibrillator, we built a legacy of saving lives.”
Join us in celebrating this incredible 30-year journey of innovation in cardiac rhythm management. MicroPort® CRM is deeply grateful to Health Care Professionals and the medical community for being an integral part of this success story. Together, we have safeguarded countless lives.
Thank you for being part of our journey!
About Implantable Cardiac Defibrillators (ICDs)
Implantable Cardiac Defibrillators (ICDs) are for use in patients with a high risk of sudden cardiac death, continuously monitoring the heart rate and helping to regulate fast and potentially life-threatening electrical problems with the heart. ICDs are connected to the heart by one or two leads, including a defibrillation lead that passes through the veins. ICDs provide pacing bursts to stop sustained ventricular tachycardia (fast heart rate), as well as ‘back up’ pacing in case of bradycardia (slow heart rate). They also deliver high-energy shocks through the defibrillation lead to restore a normal rhythm within seconds when the electrical activity of the heart deteriorates into ventricular fibrillation.
About MicroPort CRM
MicroPort® CRM is a pioneering company in the field of Cardiac Rhythm Management (CRM), and a subsidiary of MicroPort Scientific Corporation (stock code: 00853.HK), with world headquarters in Clamart, near Paris, France. Through our long-standing expertise in CRM, MicroPort® CRM develops, manufactures and markets around the world cardiac pacemakers, implantable cardiac defibrillators, cardiac resynchronization systems and ECG diagnostic solutions for the management of cardiac rhythm disorders and heart failure. Our state-of-the-art products are manufactured in Clamart, France, Saluggia, Italy, and in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic.
For more information, please refer to www.microport.com
References:
1. Dichtl W. et al., Low rates of inappropriate shocks in contemporary real-world implantable cardioverter defibrillator patients: the CARAT observational study. EP Europace, Volume 25, Issue 9, September 2023, euad186, https://doi.org/10.1093/europace/euad186
2. MicroPort CRM MRI Solutions Manuals available online at microportmanuals.com
3. Bluetooth is a registered trademark of Bluetooth SIG, Inc