Loop catheters for atrial fibrillation mapping and radiofrequency ablation

Summary form only received as follows: Chronic atrial fibrillation (Afib) is the most common arrhythmia in humans and can be found in 0.3-0.4% of the adult population. The prevalence of this rhythm disorder increases with age from 2-4% in people over the age of sixty to 11.6% in those over the age of seventy-five. Afib is also very common in patients with overt congestive failure, where its prevalence is as high as 40%. Many medical complications are associated with Afib including loss of the "atrial kick" and impaired autonomic control over the heart rate during exercise and rest. The most catastrophic complication associated with Afib is embolic stroke, which may be incapacitating or fatal. In fact, Afib has been identified in over 50% of all instances of systemic thromboembolism from the heart. Atrial fibrillation (Afib) is the final and perhaps most challenging frontier in electrophysiology. It is the most arrhythmia in humans and causes a significant morbidity. Pharmacological therapy for Afib has proven to be very disappointing and at times results in proarrhythmia in certain patient populations. The development of an effective surgical approach to cure Afib has provided the impetus for the development of a catheter-based approach for the ablation of Afib. In recent years several centers have engaged in such development. Although none of the new technologies have been tested for safety and efficacy on humans, significant animal experience has been presented. This presentation summarizes the current state-of-the-art technology and defines the design requirements and safety considerations for a catheter-based system for the ablation of Afib.