OFFENBURG/FREIBURG. Last week, medical technology specialist Stockert equipped six workstations at the University of Applied Sciences in Offenburg with state-of-the-art technology for radiofrequency catheter ablation. The SmartAblate systems provide students and doctors with the exact same instruments that are currently being used in cardiac surgery. Through its partnership with the Peter Osypka Institute for Pacing and Ablation, the Freiburg-based company is deepening its strategic partnership for the training of medical engineers.
Radiofrequency catheter ablation is used to successfully treat various types of cardiac arrhythmia. The operator inserts a special catheter into the heart which is used to find and remove the diseased areas. The minimally invasive procedure has become the medical standard – over 700,000 patients have been successfully treated in this way over the past 30 years.
Freiburg-based Stockert GmbH is one of the world’s leading manufacturers of radiofrequency technology for the treatment of heart disease. The medical technology company relies on specialist experts to further develop the SmartAblate systems. These experts are equally familiar with both the technical and medical sides.
Stockert has expanded its partnership with the Peter Osypka Institute for Pacing and Ablation at the University of Applied Sciences in Offenburg for this purpose and there has already been a lively exchange of interns. Since 2010, the University has offered courses leading to a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in medical engineering with a focus on cardiology, electrophysiology and electronic cardiac implants that is unique within Europe. The University relies on its innovative teaching concept ‘Study through Experimentation’ to train its medical engineers. The concept was awarded a fellowship grant for innovation in university teaching by the Baden-Württemberg Foundation and the Stifterverband für die Deutsche Wissenschaft, a German organisation that seeks to address challenges in higher education, science and research. Thanks to the cutting-edge equipment, at the end of their studies there are medical engineers to support surgeons with using the latest ablation technology on an equal footing or to drive the development of new systems.
Klaus Welte and Prof. Dr. rer. nat. Bruno Ismer
Simulation of a cardiac catheter ablation on a tissue sample using a SmartAblate radiofrequency catheter
About Stockert:
Stockert GmbH has developed and produced highly sensitive and precision medical devices and solutions since 1985, primarily for the treatment of various types of cardiac arrhythmia and for performing local anaesthesia. The company with its 81 employees is an example of comprehensive technological focus and a pioneering spirit that is unparalleled in the industry. Stockert’s products not only enjoy an excellent reputation among surgeons, but are also regularly awarded prizes for innovation. As an employer, Stockert GmbH is committed to the sustainable training of skilled workers and a far-reaching compatibility of family and career.
