Vectorious Medical Technologies, a company based in Israel, has announced that it has developed an unusual intra-cardiac monitoring device that has a built-in microchip but no battery. The V-LAP monitoring device allows patients to take measurements of the left atrial pressure at any time, which is done with the assistance of a small external module. The first implantations of the device are now being conducted as part of a first-in-human study that will enrol 30 patients across Europe and Israel.

Left atrial pressure (LAP) is an important parameter for evaluating heart health, particularly when trying to detect worsening signs of heart failure. Measuring it outside the hospital is not possible since ultrasound and other technologies are required. The V-LAP system is probably the only product available to provide left atrial pressure monitoring as needed and outside the clinical setting.

The implant is positioned inside the interatrial septum of the heart during a percutaneous minimally invasive procedure that requires only local anaesthesia. Once the procedure is over, the patient can scan the heart using the accompanying module, the readings from which can be automatically shared with that person’s radiologist. Any drastic reduction in function can, therefore, be quickly identified and the patient treated before serious symptoms set in.

“The increase of LAP is the most specific and earliest sign of impending heart failure exacerbation – long before clinical symptoms occur,” in a statement said William T. Abraham, professor of Internal Medicine, Physiology, and Cell Biology, Ohio, USA. “V-LAP’s unmet clinical need has been evident for years, and the cardiology profession will benefit greatly from the availability of technology that can provide this valuable indication non-invasively on a daily basis.”

“This technology will really change the way we manage patients with severe heart failure,” added Prof. Horst Sievert, the director of the CardioVascular Center Frankfurt, Germany, who performed the first implantation. “This is the first device that specifically enables us to monitor pressure within the left side of the heart – and because of its cloud-based system, we can access patient data on-demand, monitoring the atrial pressure and managing dosages, medications and overall quality of life consistently and remotely.”