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## New Strength for Stroke Treatment 

About 15  million people worldwide suffer a stroke each year, and as many as one-third die from it, according to the World Health Organization. Often, treatment or interven- tions to prevent stroke require physicians to use special devices to gain access to the brain. Two companies on which neuro-interventional- ists rely for such devices have come together to create one of the broadest portfolios and one of the deepest pipelines in the neurovascular industry. 

In September 2010 , Johnson & Johnson acquired Micrus Endovascular Corporation, a global devel- oper and manufacturer of minimally invasive devices for hemorrhagic (caused by bleeding) and ischemic (caused by a blockage) stroke. 

“There are significant unmet needs in the treatment of neurovascular disease,” says P. Laxmin Laxminarain, Worldwide President, Codman & Shurtleff. Micrus Endovascular and Codman Neurovascular develop innovative and complementary products and technologies for treating cerebral aneurysms, which can lead to stroke. “Our hope is that by bringing these companies together,” says Laxminarain, “we can fuel rapid and meaningful innovation that further improves therapeutic options and access to care, and ultimately makes a difference in the treatment of this debilitating condition.” 

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## Unlocking the Dimensions of the Human Heart 

Thomas Buehler, 57 , of Round Lake, Ill., is hopeful he has kicked atrial fibrillation (AFib) for life. He hasn’t had a recur- rence since his AFib ablation* procedure more than a year ago, and his electrophysiologist, Andrea Natale, M.D ., F.A.C.C., F.H.R.S., shares his optimism. “Although we can never tell a patient to forget about it completely,” says Dr. Natale, “in general when people do well beyond one year, the chance of a recurrence later 

in life is very small.” 

The most common form of irregular heartbeat, AFib affects more than 20  million people worldwide and is the leading cause of stroke among people over age 65 . A treatment called AFib ablation passes energy through a thin wire catheter placed inside the heart to disrupt specific tissue identified as a trigger. The C arto ® 3 System, the most advanced 3- D imaging technology from Biosense Webster, Inc., helps electrophysiologists perform AFib ablation with a high degree of accuracy. 

“There is a very fine line between doing the right thing for the patient and taking a chance of a complication,” says 

## OPTIMISTIC OUTLOOK 

A heart out of rhythm caused fatigue and worry for volunteer fireman Thomas Buehler. Since his AFib ablation procedure, he says the anxiety and stress he once felt are gone. 

Dr. Natale. “The C arto ® 3 System shows you, in real time, exactly where you are. It allows you to create a virtual geometry of the heart, to do the procedure very accurately.” 

For seven years prior to his procedure, Tom suffered frequent AFib flare-ups that lasted anywhere from two to eight hours. “It was depressing,” he says, recalling the extreme fatigue that came with them. Recently retired, he loves taking long walks and is enjoying living life again. “All that anxiety and stress is gone. My life has changed completely.” 

