NuVera Medical this week said it has successfully completed the first-in-human implantation of its NuVision intracardiac echocardiography catheter.

The NuVision ICE catheter is designed for rapid, real-time 3D, multi-planar insights into the structural heart and cardiac ablation procedures, according to the company. It features a wide, 90º by 90º view of the cardiac anatomy to better guide complex cardiac procedures, improve outcomes and reduce procedure times.

“Today marks a major milestone in the history of NuVera as we transition to a clinical-stage company,” CEO Todor Jeliaskov said in a news release. “I am incredibly grateful to Dr. Ebner and the entire clinical team for their flawless performance and for trusting the NuVera team to remotely support the first human case. We see tremendous potential for the NuVision ICE catheter to transform complex cardiac procedures and look forward to bringing this beneficial technology to market.”

The first patient was implanted with the device at the Italian Hospital Asuncion Paraguay by Dr. Adrian Ebner, who received remote, live-feed support from the company’s U.S.-based team.

“I am extremely pleased to be part of the first use of this technology. Typically, a case involving a septal defect would require general anesthesia and a separate sonographer to perform transesophageal imaging,” Ebner said. “With the NuVision ICE catheter we were able to perform the procedure with virtual support from NuVera with the patient under conscious sedation. Viewing the intracardiac structures and leaflets from this perspective was entirely new, enabling a much more simplified septal repair procedure. The patient was discharged the next morning without any excess swelling from the use of TEE.”