CardiacAssist to Exhibit and Host Educational Symposium at “STS 2009”

“Surgical Innovations Symposium” will feature presentations by Dr. Daniel Goldstein, Montefiore Medical Center; Dr. Igor Gregoric, Texas Heart Institute; and Dr. Farzad Najam, George Washington University Medical Center

“The clinical experience with the TandemHeart System is now very substantial, with 1500 cases performed at more than 100 elite cardiac care centers across the U.S. We strongly believe that TandemHeart has the potential to transform interventional cardiology and cardiac surgery.”

Michael Garippa, CEO, CardiacAssist

PITTSBURGH--(EON: Enhanced Online News)--CardiacAssist Inc., a growing and profitable medical device company, announced today that it will exhibit its TandemHeart® System in San Francisco at the Society of Thoracic Surgeons (STS) 45th Annual Meeting that begins next week. The TandemHeart is the only 5 lpm net flow, percutaneous "extracorporeal circulatory support" device approved by the FDA for sale in the U.S. All other heart assist devices—including Impella 2.5—are labeled by the FDA to be used for "partial circulatory support" with less than 2.5 lpm net flow. The TandemHeart device can be placed rapidly in the cath lab or operating room, providing effective, reliable, temporary circulatory support for critically ill patients.

“More than 1,500 cases have been performed, and the TandemHeart has been adopted by over 100 elite cardiac care centers in the U.S. Last year proved to be the most successful to date for CardiacAssist, which reached new clinical and financial milestones.”

The STS Annual Meeting and Exhibition will be held at Moscone Convention Center in San Francisco, Jan. 25-27, 2009. CardiacAssist will be in booth number 453 with information and displays pertaining to the TandemHeart System. Additionally, CardiacAssist will host an educational symposium—“Surgical Innovations”— by invitation only on Monday, January 26th, with case presentations by Dr. Daniel Goldstein, Montefiore Medical Center; Dr. Igor Gregoric, Texas Heart Institute; and Dr. Farzad Najam, George Washington University Medical Center. Current and prospective customers are encouraged to attend and learn more about TandemHeart System utilization. STS attendees interested in attending the meeting should visit CardiacAssist’s booth to receive an invitation. To RSVP for the event, please contact Monica Bush at 412-963-7770 x247 or via email at [e-mail].

“The clinical experience with the TandemHeart System is now very substantial,” said CardiacAssist CEO Michael Garippa. “More than 1,500 cases have been performed, and the TandemHeart has been adopted by over 100 elite cardiac care centers in the U.S. Last year proved to be the most successful to date for CardiacAssist, which reached new clinical and financial milestones.”

The TandemHeart System is fully reimbursed by Medicare under existing DRG codes. The device can be deployed rapidly in the cath lab or operating room, providing effective, reliable, temporary circulatory support for critically ill patients.

To date, the TandemHeart System has been used in 29 countries by 130 different facilities by 320 different physicians.