Material in Medtronic’s cardiac leads makes the Space Technology Hall of Fame

Medtronic (NYSE:MDT) said today that lead material used in its cardiac leads, NASA Langley Research Center-Soluble Imide, was inducted into the Space Technology Hall of Fame.

The induction ceremony took place at the Space Foundation’s 32nd Space Symposium in Colorado Springs, Colo.

The material, originally developed as an insulation material used for space applications, high-performance engines and harsh environments is highly flexible, resistant to chemicals and extreme temperatures, which Fridley, Minn.-based Medtronic said makes it suitable for medical use.

“Medtronic is committed to working with leading researchers around the world to develop meaningful innovations, and our partnership with NASA is just one example of that. We’re honored to be recognized for the development of an improved technology that has been implanted in more than 350,000 patients worldwide,” Medtronic heart failure biz GM Dr. David Steinhaus said in a press release.

Earlier this month, Medtronic said it won FDA premarket approval for its Micra transcatheter pacing system, which it claims is the world’s smallest pacemaker.

The Micra transcatheter pacing system, which at 1/10th the size of a conventional pacemaker is roughly the size of a large vitamin, is designed to be implanted via catheter in the right ventricle to deliver single-chamber pacing, Medtronic said. The Micra device has an estimated 12-year battery life and is approved as safe for full-body MRI scans, the company said.

Micra is cleared with indications for patients with a heart arrhythmia called atrial fibrillation or those who have other dangerous arrhythmias, such as bradycardia-tachycardia syndrome, according to an FDA release.

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