9 Promising Cardio Technologies: Solutions to Prevent Surgical Site Infections

Solutions to Prevent Surgical Site Infections

Medtronic's Tyrx Antibacterial Envelope prevents surgical site infections in patients implanted with a pacemaker or ICD.

One of the biggest challenges of implantable device procedures is the potential for surgical site infections (SSIs), which threaten patients and result in a heavy financial burden for hospitals. 

One technology being developed to combat SSIs is Medtronic's Tyrx Antibacterial Envelope. The mesh device is used to hold a pacemaker and ICD in a stable environment and release antimicrobial agents over seven days, when chances for an infection related to the surgery are high.

The drug-device combination product is approved both in the United States and Europe, and studies have shown that the product is associated with 70-100% fewer reductions in infections compared to patients who are implanted with ICDs and pacemakers without it.

[Image courtesy of MEDTRONIC]

Learn how to design innovative structural heart therapies at the MD&M Minneapolis conference on September 21, 2016.