Innovative Catheter System Treats Atrial Arrhythmias

The Tempasure cardiac ablation catheter system is designed for better outcomes in patients by reducing overall procedure time and increasing therapeutic effectiveness, while avoiding rare but serious adverse events that can occur with current technologies. The system's novel passive sensing microwave radiometry technology allows the electrophysiologist to measure the temperature of cardiac tissue during the ablation procedure, providing real-time information that enables proper energy delivery and lesion control. The technology thus allows safe and effective automatic RF power titration or "temperature mode" irrigated ablation.

The cardiac ablation catheter system continuously measures temperature at three millimeters depth below the heart wall surface, using a proprietary microwave radiometry system called Veritas technology; this is especially useful in left-sided procedures. The new radiometry technology offers real-time safe temperature control during ablations and in the near term promises automatic titration of RF power to create consistent, deep, and wide lesions in left-sided ablation procedures. The Tempasure cardiac ablation catheter system is a product of Advanced Cardiac Therapeutics (Laguna Beach, CA, USA), and has received the European Community (EC) marking of approval.

"We are very pleased that the Tempasure temperature-sensing ablation catheter is now cleared for use in countries that recognize CE mark," said Peter van der Sluis, CEO of Advanced Cardiac Therapeutics. "We look forward to bringing the Tempasure system to patients and physicians in Europe later this year."

Cardiac catheter ablation procedures are used to treat a variety of cardiac arrhythmias including atrial fibrillation (AF) and atrial flutter. The procedures involve advancing a catheter into the heart and selectively ablating certain areas of tissue in order to prevent the spread of electrical signals that give rise to the arrhythmia. The temperature of the tissue during ablation is critical; lower temperatures are ineffective, and temperatures that are too high can result in dangerous over-heating. Saline irrigation ensures that lesions are created safely and are effective deeper inside the cardiac tissue; however, the inclusion of irrigation negates the effectiveness of conventional thermometry.

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Advanced Cardiac Therapeutics