First cryoballoon ablation treatment for paroxysmal atrial fibrillation in the USA approved by FDA

摘要

The cryoballoon treatment consists of a minimally-invasive procedure which creates circumferential lesions around the pulmonary vein, the source of erratic electrical signals that cause the irregular heartbeat. The novel aspect of this balloon-based technology concerns the ablation, or blocking, of the conduction of atrial fibrillation in cardiac tissue through the use of a coolant, which is delivered via a catheter, which allows the catheter to adhere to the tissue during ablation, increasing stability.Vivek Reddy from the Mount Sinai Medical Center (NY, USA) explained that "This technology represents a significant improvement over currently used focal ablation treatment for atrial fibrillation. This unique ablation approach fills an unmet need in AF ablation by providing a straightforward and efficient approach to pulmonary vein isolation, while giving patients a new, minimally-invasive treatment approach proven to be safe and effective."