Medtronic plc Provides Update on First Procedure Performed in Medtronic Mri-Guided Laser Ablation Trial to Treat Common Form of Epilepsy
January 24, 2017 at 07:00 am EST
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Medtronic plc announced that the first procedure using the Visualase MRI-Guided Laser Ablation System has been performed in the pivotal SLATE (Stereotactic Laser Ablation for Temporal Lobe Epilepsy) clinical trial at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn. The SLATE clinical trial is designed to support the expanded indication of the currently marketed Visualase system for treatment of patients with drug-resistant mesial temporal lobe epilepsy (MTLE), the most common form of partial or localization-related epilepsy. Approximately three million people in the United States have epilepsy(1), with MTLE being the most common form of partial or localization related epilepsy. It is estimated that at least one-third of MTLE patients become drug resistant(2), continuing to have seizures regardless of the number or type of anti-epileptic drugs used. During the clinical trial, approximately 120 adult patients with drug-resistant MTLE will be treated at selected epilepsy centers across the United States. Emory University, Mayo Clinic, Northwell Health, Thomas Jefferson University Hospital, and University of Miami Health System are some of the institutions that will be enrolling patients in the clinical trial. After the Visualase procedure, subjects will be followed for 12 months and evaluated for freedom from seizures, quality of life, adverse events and neuropsychological outcomes.
Medtronic plc is one of the world leaders in designing, manufacturing and marketing of medical equipment. Net sales break down by sector of activity as follows:
- general and minimally invasive surgery (28.8%): surgical equipment, intra-operative monitoring systems, ventilation systems, etc.;
- cardiac rhythm management (18.6%): implantable cardiac pacemakers, implantable defibrillators and automatic external defibrillators, cardiac ablation probes, etc.;
- vascular diseases and cardiac surgery (17.4%): coronary stents, endoprostheses for aortal pathologies, distal protection systems, catheters, heart valve prostheses, auto-transfusion equipment, cardiac ablation devices, etc.;
- spinal disorders (14.1%): spinal prostheses, disc prostheses, cerebral stimulation systems, bone graft technologies and mini-invasive spinal surgery, etc. The group also develops medical imagery-guided surgical navigation systems activity;
- neurovascular, ear, nose and throat (ENT) and pelvic diseases (8.2%);
- diabetes management (7.4%): internal and external glycemia monitoring systems and insulin pumps;
- neurological disorders (5.5%): neurostimulation and pumped medication administration products, diagnostic tools, etc.
Net sales are distributed geographically as follows: Ireland (0.3%), the United States (50.9%) and other (48.8%).
MEDTRONIC PLC 
