Cardiac rhythm management device sales in the US are projected to grow at a compound annual rate of 2.9%, increasing to an estimated $8.2 billion in the year 2019. Two of the fastest growing sectors of the market, electrophysiology and ablation devices, will be driven by a 10% to 20% growth in the number of patients treated for atrial fibrillation.

Innovation in arrhythmia monitoring technologies, as well as new research showing how these devices may improve arrhythmia diagnosis and management, particularly in cryptogenic stroke patients, will help drive growth in the market for outpatient ambulatory cardiac monitoring devices, which is valued at approximately $1.5 billion in the US alone.

Positive clinical results were presented at this year’s Boston AF Symposium on nContact Surgical Inc.’s minimally invasive Convergent Procedure, a combined epicardial and endocardial approach for treating patients with persistent atrial fibrillation, who currently have no good treatment options outside of open surgery. According to the company, about 50% of the entire AF population could potentially benefit from the Convergent Procedure, representing a potential patient market of nearly $15 billion.