Philips has earned FDA clearance for its new transesophageal echocardiography ultrasound transducer, the X11-4t Mini 3D TEE, a minimally invasive option for cardiac patients.
The TEE transducer helps cardiologists by providing detailed images of the heart and other internal structures, and it has the potential to reduce anesthesia during minimally invasive procedures, according to a Jan. 31 news release from the company.
"With its excellent image quality and small footprint, the X11-4t transducer has the potential to reduce the complications of prolonged transesophageal imaging which can occur during our most difficult structural heart procedures," Rebecca Hahn, MD, professor of medicine at Columbia University Irving Medical Center in New York City, said in the release. "The transducer's small size may also be better tolerated by patients during shorter procedures performed under conscious sedation and thus provide additional high-quality imaging to improve procedural outcomes without the need for general anesthesia."
Philips' new TEE transducer is 35% smaller than other market alternatives and uses the same hand control, procedure navigation techniques and workflows as other Philips EPIQ cardiac ultrasound systems, the release said.