Stereotaxis, Inc has completed the first 50 clinical procedures using the company's new Niobe ES system to treat patients with a variety of complex cardiac arrhythmias. A majority of the first 50 cases were performed to treat atrial fibrillation (AF), the most common type of cardiac arrhythmia. According to the company, positive initial results with the system in Europe demonstrate that the average time for completion of mapping and ablation for the initial AF patients was 69 minutes. The data will be featured at the Boston Atrial Fibrillation Symposium Jan 12–14, 2012.

The Epoch platform, which encompasses the Niobe ES system, is designed to improve efficiency with a fully-remote, networked and modular robotic, magnetic system that enables greater surgical precision and improved catheter control while reducing the risk of complications. Stereotaxis began initial shipments of the Epoch platform in mid-December 2011, including six system upgrades from the Niobe II navigation system in the United States and Europe.

Brian DeVille, MD, FACC, of The HEART HOSPITAL Baylor Plano is using Epoch by Stereotaxis, a sophisticated software and magnetic controlled catheters to safely navigate the catheter within the patient’s heart to the precise location of the required therapy.

The Heart Hospital Baylor Plano (Texas) was the first North American site to install the new Epoch platform, and the first hospital in the world to perform an EP procedure using the new system.

"Interventional physicians want to leverage advanced technology that minimizes surgical risks to the patient while increasing the likelihood of a favorable outcome," said Brian DeVille, MD, FACC, eletrophysiologis. "The new Niobe ES system will enable electrophysiologists on the medical staff to deliver therapy in a precise manner, while reducing X-ray exposure and procedure time for our patients."

Sterotaxis president and CEO Michael P. Kaminski says that initial feedback and interest in the platform has been very favorable. "We look forward to continuing to build on the momentum of this milestone and have commitments for 12 additional system upgrades to Niobe ES, which will be installed over the next few months."

Stereotaxis designs, manufactures and markets an advanced cardiology instrument control system for use in a hospital's interventional surgical suite to enhance the treatment of coronary artery disease and arrhythmias. The Niobe Remote Magnetic Navigation System is designed to enable physicians to complete more complex interventional procedures by providing image guided delivery of catheters and guidewires through the blood vessels and chambers of the heart to treatment sites. This is achieved using computer-controlled, externally applied magnetic fields that govern the motion of the working tip of the catheter or guidewire, resulting in improved navigation and reduced x-ray exposure.