BOSTON SCIENTIFIC is preparing another round of job cuts and planning to break up its biggest business, cardiac devices, reversing some of the restructuring put in place by former chief executive Raymond Elliott.

A Boston Scientific spokesman confirmed the moves outlined in a letter to employees this month, but said the two actions were unrelated.

Some job cuts would stem from manufacturing adjustments in the United States and abroad, he said.

The company’s spokesman could not say how many positions would be eliminated or provide details about the rationale for the cardiac unit split.

Boston Scientific has faced weak markets for its key products – heart stents and implantable heart defibrillators – for several years as the number of procedures has dropped, partly because of a weak economy and heightened scrutiny over their use.

The medical device maker, which has been struggling since its 2006 acquisition of heart stent maker Guidant, is expected to announce the additional layoffs within the next two months, according to a person close to the company. The number of layoffs was not specified.

The source said details of the changes were included in an internal memo from acting chief executive Hank Kucheman earlier this month.

In the meantime, Boston Scientific will separate its cardiac rhythm management unit, which makes heart pacemakers and implantable defibrillators, from its interventional cardiology business, which makes stents, the source said. The units were combined less than three years ago under Mr Elliott.

In the second quarter, the company’s revenue from interventional cardiology fell 13 per cent, while revenue from cardiac rhythm management fell 8 per cent, excluding the impact of foreign currency translations.

– (Reuters)