BIOTRONIK landed FDA approval for the world’s only implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) capable of producing an ultra-high energy electrical shock immediately on the first discharge. Defibrillators have capacitors within them that store an electrical charge that is originally siphoned from a nearby battery. Typically, though, capacitors slowly bleed their charge and so require some time to get up to full load from the battery just as they’re needed. That is why with previous high energy ICDs, the first shock is produced by whatever the charge is in the capacitor at the time, while the one immediately following is produced once the capacitor takes a second or two to fully charge up from the battery.

The new Inventra DX ICD, on the other hand, stays completely vigilant and is able to fire off 42 Joules of energy at any moment. The device uses only one lead that is capable of dual-chamber diagnostics, offering extra safety compared with using two leads while offering comparable continous heart monitoring.

source:BIOTRONIK