SANTA ANA, Calif.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–June 4, 1999–
Use of Implantable Cardio Defibrillators Growing at an Annual
Rate Exceeding 20 Percent
Microsemi Corp. (Nasdaq:MSCC) Friday announced that it has
introduced a new high voltage MOSFET for implantable cardio
defibrillator (ICD) applications that provides a size reduction of 40%
over currently available devices.
Component size is critical in the design of implantable electronic systems.
Designated the MSAFA1N100D, the new device is the first to be
developed jointly by Microsemi, a leader in discrete semiconductors for
human implantable electronics, and Advanced Power Technology, Bend,
Ore., a leader in advanced high power, high voltage MOSFET design.
This joint venture project was completed in only eight weeks as
part of the recently announced agreement between the two companies that
allows Microsemi to serve the implantable medical market with APT’s
patented Power MOS V MOSFET technology.
The Microsemi device will be used as an overvoltage protection
circuit in the next generation of implantable cardio defibrillators.
These implants must withstand high voltages induced either by the ICD
itself or by external defibrillation in emergency room and other
treatment procedures.
New types of multiple-phase high voltage therapies are driving
broader use of implantable cardio defibrillators, which can require 10
MOSFETs each. It is estimated that this market will grow at an annual
rate of more than 20%, with nearly 70,000 such implants last year alone.
Although much smaller than prior implantable MOSFETs, the new
Microsemi device provides equivalent electrical performance. In
addition to meeting the required specifications of 1,000 Volts and 13.5
Ohms at body temperature (37C), Microsemi’s new device provides ICD
designers with the ability to reduce battery drain by taking advantage
of the MSAFA1N100D’s gate charge spec of less than 20nC.
“For implantable devices that must function five to seven years, or
more, from a single Lithium Ion battery, the MSAFA1N100D provides a
significant advance for next-generation ICD designs,” reported Manuel
Lynch, worldwide marketing director at Microsemi.
