3. AtriCure
R&D spending: $34,144,000
Percentage of revenues: 19.5%
2018 overall revenue ranking: 94
AtriCure (Mason, Ohio) is developing pain management technologies that apply cryotherapy to the space between the ribs. Its cryoIce Cryanalgesia Probe delivers a precise freezing temperature to nerves in the ribs to relieve pain during cardiac and thoracic procedures.
The probe delivers Nitrous Oxide within at a high rate of speed which causes the probe to cool and extract heat from surrounding tissues. If the probe is placed on the intercostal bundle, the resulting rapid heat extraction causes the intercostal nerve to freeze and create a process called Wallerian degeneration.
The company is perhaps best known for its Isolator Synergy Ablation System, which has FDA approval for treatment of long-standing persistent Afib, as well as its AtriClip left atrial appendage (LAA) exclusion system products.