Sorin Group Announces European Launch of KORA 250, the World’s Smallest Full Body MRI Conditional Pacing System

Sorin Group (MIL:SRN), (Reuters Code: SORN.MI), a global medical company and a leader in the treatment of cardiovascular diseases, announced today the launch of KORA 250, its new generation of full body MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging) conditional pacemakers.¹

KORA 250 SR and DR pacemakers, when implanted with the Sorin BEFLEX pacing lead, allow implanted patients to undergo MRI scans on any region of the body. Pacemaker patients are prone to develop medical conditions such as arthritis, cancer or stroke, and may therefore require MRI examinations for optimal disease diagnosis and management.

The unique Automatic MRI Mode makes MRI scans safe and efficient for pacemaker patients, automatically detecting the MRI scanner’s magnetic field and ensuring appropriate pacemaker operation during the scan. After the scan, the device automatically returns to normal configuration.¹ As a result, unlike other pacing systems, KORA 250 minimizes the amount of time that patients experience MRI mode.

Designed to proactively manage comorbidities, KORA 250 is equipped with advanced therapeutic and diagnostic features, including:

• SafeR, a unique pacing mode that intelligently manages all types of AV block. ² SafeR is the only algorithm proven to dramatically reduce right ventricular pacing for patients with AV block as well as patients with sinus node disease.³ SafeR has also been shown to reduce the risk of heart failure and cardiac hospitalization by 51%.³
• Sleep Apnea Monitoring (SAM), a clinically validated tool to efficiently screen and monitor patients for severe sleep apnea⁴. Recent studies have highlighted the risks of sleep apnea, a significant comorbidity associated with atrial fibrillation and heart failure. ^5,6,7

Prof. Antonio Sagone, chief of the electrophysiology laboratory at Luigi Sacco Hospital in Milan, implanted the first KORA 250 and Sorin BEFLEX pacing leads in a 79-year-old patient. Prof. Sagone commented: "KORA 250 is the ideal pacemaker for all my brady patients. Whether I’m treating them for sinus node disease or AV block, its smart algorithms like SafeR and Sleep Apnea Monitoring help me to proactively manage comorbidities and reduce long-term risk. I’m happy to be able to offer my patients such a tiny and long-lasting device that now also allows them to undergo full body MRI scans easily and safely. ”

"At Sorin Group we have a long tradition of developing patient-focused technologies. This latest family of pacemakers benefits from our proprietary algorithms and with Automatic MRI mode now available for full body scans, KORA 250 offers doctors and patients a complete suite of advanced therapies aimed ultimately at improving patient outcome. With this next-generation pacemaker family, Sorin is once again setting a new standard in pacing technology”, said Stefano Di Lullo, Sorin Group, President CRM Business Unit.

About Sorin Group
Sorin Group (www.sorin.com) is a global, medical device company and a leader in the treatment of cardiovascular diseases. The Company develops, manufactures, and markets medical technologies for cardiac surgery and for the treatment of cardiac rhythm disorders. With 3,900 employees worldwide,Sorin Group focuses on two major therapeutic areas: Cardiac Surgery (cardiopulmonary products for open heart surgery and heart valve repair or replacement prostheses) and Cardiac Rhythm Management (pacemakers, defibrillators and non invasive monitoring to diagnose arrhythmias and deliver anti-arrhythmia therapies as well as cardiac resynchronization devices for heart failure treatment) Every year, over one million patients are treated with Sorin Group devices in more than 100 countries.

For more information, please visit www.sorin.com

References :

1. Sorin KORA 250 implant manual (U531 KORA 250 DR) available at www.sorinmanuals.com
2. Davy JM et al. Pacing clin electrophysiol 2012;35(4):392–402
3. Stockburger M et al. Eur Heart J. 2015 Jan 14;36(3):151
4. Defaye P et al. Heart Rhythm 2014;11(5):842-8
5. Lee W et al. Expert Rev Respir Med. 2008 June 1; 2(3): 349–364.
6. Gottlieb DJ et al. Circulation 2010 July 27; 122(4):352-360.
7. Mehra R et al. Am J Respir Crit Care Med 2006 Apr, 173:910-916.

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