Dr Iain Matthews (Wansbeck General Hospital, Ashington, UK) discusses Acticor/Rivacor ICD & CRT-D Devices - First clinical experiences. 

Questions:

1. What are the top three features that are important to you when selecting an ICD or CRT-D?
2. How were your first experiences with the Rivacor devices?
3. How does the Rivacor devices’ size and shape compare to other devices that you’ve implanted?
4. Why is battery longevity so important?
5a. Why is individualized therapy so crucial for successful CRT and how do you achieve it?
5b. What options in the device are you referring to?
6. Briefly describe the currently available CRT pacing solutions you commonly use? And how do you personally decide which pacing solution is right for which patient?
7. Tell me about your experiences with LV Vector Opt?
8. Where does CRT AutoAdapt fit into this landscape? What are a few of its benefits over alternative modalities?
9. How do you ensure that you monitor your patients as efficiently as possible?
10. How have clinical studies influenced how you use home monitoring services?
11. Why is it important that patients with cardiac implants have full and unhindered access to high-resolution MRI?
12. BIOTRONIK’s DX technology allows complete atrial diagnostics without an atrial lead. What are the benefits of a system with fewer leads?
13. Have you got any real-life examples of where DX has been indicated?