Healthcare Industry News: arrhythmia
News Release - December 19, 2012
Minimally Invasive Hybrid Ablation Procedure Demonstrates Significant Benefits for the Treatment of Atrial Fibrillation
One year after treatment, 80 percent of patients maintain normal sinus rhythm without medicationMORRISVILLE, N.C.--(Healthcare Sales & Marketing Network)--A physician study published in the Polish Journal of Cardiology showed a minimally invasive hybrid ablation procedure known as the Convergent Procedure, combining the expertise and technologies of both electrophysiologists and surgeons, helped persistent patients with atrial fibrillation maintain normal sinus rhythm without medication. The study reported on 27 patients and at six months post-procedure, 72 percent maintained normal sinus rhythm without the use of antiarrhythmic drugs. At one year post-procedure that number increased to 80 percent and at two years, a small cohort of patients was all in sinus rhythm, 100 percent (6/6). The study was conducted at the Silesian University Center for Heart Disease at the Medical University of Selisia in Zabrze, Poland.
“These are very impressive results and hold great promise for patients with enlarged atria who have limited treatment alternatives,” said Dr. Oskar Kowalsi, M.D., Silesian University Center for Heart Diseases, and electrophysiologist author of the paper. “The AF patient population is growing significantly and it is important to find and offer new procedures with the potential for better outcomes.”
Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common cardiac arrhythmia and affects nearly two percent of the general population. The study followed 27 highly symptomatic patients with persistent atrial fibrillation (PSAF) and longstanding persistent atrial fibrillation (LSPAF), treated with the Convergent Procedure. PSAF and LSPAF patient subsets make up almost 90 percent of the AF population, but individual catheter and surgical standalone treatment options and outcomes have been suboptimal with a high rate of recurrence, necessitating repeat interventions.
“The primary advantage of the Convergent Procedure is that it is a multi-disciplinary approach to ensure more comprehensive and complete treatment of Afib,” said Dr. Michal Zembal, MD PhD, Surgeon, Silesian University Center for Heart Disease. “The EP and surgeon effectively collaborate to reach all areas of the heart. As a consequence, we believe we are obtaining better lesions and isolation and thus, we have not experienced the fall off in outcomes over time associated with traditional approaches.”
The surgical portion of the combined approach is the least invasive approach offered today. The procedure uses a novel trans-diaphragmatic approach, requiring only a 2cm incision in the abdomen to access the heart, allowing a surgeon to place and connect lesions across the atrium.
“The epicardial device provides consistent tissue contact to create complete, long, linear lesions that are visible and can be connected to form a standard pattern for best results. In addition, the minimally invasive technique eliminates surgical chest incisions, ports, dissections, and lung deflation, improving patient recovery,” said Dr. Zembala. “After performing 53 of these procedures to date, we can say the approach is not only effective, but also very safe for our patients.”
The Convergent Procedure includes ablation both on the outside of the heart by the surgeon, followed by ablation on the inside of the heart by the EP. “Surgical ablation leaves gaps in lesion lines that cannot be reached from outside the heart,” continued Dr. Kowalski. “The EP mapping and diagnostic equipment allows me to find gaps, complete surgical lesions in thicker tissues, and ensure electrical isolation of specific areas on the heart. Consequently, I spend more time diagnosing and utilizing techniques to ensure procedure completion that are predictive of successful outcomes. For this patient population, the combination of disciplines yields better results than individual approaches.”
The Silesian Center for Heart Disease is the only institution offering this novel procedure in Poland.
“The Convergent Procedure is gaining traction as more studies and presentations show its effectiveness and benefits,” said Marian Zembala, M.D., Ph.D, FESC, Director of the Sileasian University Center for Heart Disease. “Our Center is proud to present promising cutting edge technology.”
About nContact, Inc.
nContact, Inc. is the leading innovator in epicardial ablation devices and techniques. Its mission is to transform the underserved arrhythmia market through the advancement of less invasive, more efficacious ablation alternatives for cardiac arrhythmias.
Its lead technologies, the EPi-Sense® and Numeris® Coagulation Systems with VisiTrax®, have CE Mark approval in Europe for the coagulation of cardiac tissue for the treatment of atrial fibrillation and atrial flutter.
The EPi-Sense® and Numeris® Coagulation Systems with VisiTrax® are indicated for endoscopic coagulation of cardiac tissue in the United States. nContact was founded in 2005 and is headquartered in Morrisville, North Carolina, U.S.A.
Source: nContact
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