San Francisco-based medical technology company Solo Pace Incorporated has achieved two significant milestones with both FDA clearance and first-in-human use of its SoloPace Control System for temporary pacing during Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement (TAVR) procedures.
The purpose-built system addresses a critical need in TAVR procedures, where precise cardiac pacing is essential for successful valve deployment. Initial procedures using the technology were completed this month at Scripps Clinic by Chief of Cardiology, Paul Teirstein, MD and Curtiss Stinis, MD.
Addressing Critical Procedural Challenges
TAVR procedures require precise temporary pacing to ensure safe and effective valve deployment, but current pacing technologies are not specifically designed for this application. The SoloPace system aims to fill this gap with standardized workflows engineered to improve efficiency and reduce patient risks.
"Solo Pace has modernized pacing during TAVR valve deployment. The device takes variability out of the procedure by giving the operator full control while automating ramp-up and back-up algorithms. The TAVR procedure is simplified, reducing physician and staff workload," said Dr. Teirstein.
The system allows cardiologists to pre-program pacer settings to deliver consistent procedures every time, enabling the medical team to focus more on patient care rather than pacemaker management. This feature is particularly valuable at centers where nurses and technologists typically control the pacemaker generator.
Technical Innovations and Clinical Benefits
The SoloPace Control System introduces several technical innovations designed to enhance TAVR procedures:
- Operator-specific protocols that can be customized and saved
- Automated pace capture checks to verify proper function
- Intuitive interface reducing communication errors
- Sterile remote-control operation
- Compatibility with patient cables for all common procedural pacing methods
These features address significant limitations in current practice, where devices lack standard pre-sets and require inefficient verbal commands between team members during critical moments of the procedure.
Market Need and Future Direction
David Daniels, MD, Founder and CEO of Solo Pace, highlighted the importance of these developments: "Precise pacing is essential for safe TAVR procedures, yet today's devices are not purpose-built for TAVR, offer no standard pre-sets, and require inefficient verbal commands."
The TAVR procedure market continues to grow as an alternative to surgical aortic valve replacement for patients with aortic stenosis. According to industry estimates, over 100,000 TAVR procedures are performed annually in the United States alone, with numbers increasing as indications expand to lower-risk patients.
"FDA clearance and the use of our technology in patients are both significant milestones for the Company and first steps on our journey to advance transcatheter heart valve pacing solutions," Dr. Daniels added.
Clinical Perspective
Dr. Teirstein emphasized the workflow improvements: "We pre-program pacer settings to reliably deliver the same procedure every time. This allows us to focus on the patient and free up resources, especially at centers where nurses and technologists currently control the pacemaker generator."
The system's ability to standardize pacing protocols may help reduce procedural variability, potentially improving outcomes and reducing complications associated with temporary pacing during TAVR, such as perforation, tamponade, or conduction disturbances.
Integration into Current Practice
A key advantage of the SoloPace system is its compatibility with existing procedural pacing methods, making it relatively straightforward to integrate into current clinical practice. This compatibility may facilitate adoption across cardiac catheterization laboratories already performing TAVR procedures.
Solo Pace, Inc., based in San Francisco, California, is a privately held company dedicated to advancing transcatheter heart valve pacing solutions. The company is positioned to address growing needs in structural heart interventions as these procedures continue to evolve and expand.
