Medtronic today announced strategic investments in two privately held companies focused on the development of intracardiac echocardiography (ICE) catheter technologies. ICE catheters provide real-time, high-resolution imaging of the heart during electrophysiology (EP) procedures for cardiac arrhythmias such as atrial fibrillation (Afib). Medtronic intends to integrate ICE into the Affera mapping and ablation system.
The investments include Beluga Medical, a premarket-stage company located in California developing a next-generation ICE product, and CardioACC, an early commercial-stage company based in Shenzhen, China. CardioACC received National Medical Products Administration approval for its ICE system in 2025.
"The incredible growth of our business demonstrates the demand for better technologies in electrophysiology, and we are leaning into opportunities that support our long-term portfolio roadmap," said Rebecca Seidel, president of the Cardiac Ablation Solutions business, which is part of the Cardiovascular Portfolio. "ICE catheters are an important component of ablation procedures today, and we intend for our Affera platform to evolve to include this capability. These investments represent another step to support expansion of our leadership position in EP as we work to bring new and innovative technologies to each market."
"Intracardiac echocardiography has become a procedural essential in electrophysiology, giving physicians real-time visualization that can support more confident decision making throughout an ablation case," said Khaldoun Tarakji, M.D., MPH, vice president, chief medical officer, Cardiac Ablation Solutions business, which is part of the Cardiovascular Portfolio at Medtronic. "By investing in ICE technologies, we are strategically positioning ourselves to evolve and strengthen the Affera ecosystem over time, with the goal of continuing to advance integrated imaging and mapping workflows, improve procedural efficiency, and deliver better outcomes for patients."
Both ICE catheter companies will continue to operate independently.
