2011 R&D 100 Winner
.JPG.jpg "Medtronic_Cryoballoon")
Patients with abnormal heart rhythms, known as atrial fibrillation, who do not respond to drugs may face surgery. The Arctic Front Cardiac CryoAblation Catheter System is a minimally invasive balloon-based technology that blocks the conduction of atrial fibrillation in cardiac tissue by delivering a coolant, not heat, through a catheter. The freezing technology allows the catheter to adhere to the tissue during ablation, allowing for greater catheter stability.
The device, developed by Medtronic Inc., Mounds View, Minn., creates circumferential lesions around the pulmonary vein, the source of erratic electrical signals that cause the irregular heartbeat. In the procedure, the physician inserts Medtronic's FlexCath Steerable Sheath in the left atrium of a beating heart in a deflated state.
The balloon is inflated and positioned at the pulmonary vein opening. After cryoablation is initiated, the refrigerant is delivered, causing the balloon temperature to decline to cryoablation levels. The tissue freezes once in contact with the balloon, causing a block of electrical signals. When the cryoablation cycle is complete, the flow of refrigerant is stopped and the balloon warms to body temperature as the balloon deflates.
Technology
Cardiac cyroablation catheter
Developers
Medtronic Inc.
Development Team
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| (l-r): Rachid Mahrouche, Jean-Luc Pageard, Gilles Desrochers, Chadi Harmouche, Benoit Thibault, and Yixin Hu |
The Arctic Front Cardiac CryoAblation Catheter System Development Team from Medtronic Inc.
Jean-luc Pageard, Prinicpal Developer
Gilles Desrochers
Chadi Harmouche
Yixin Hu
Rachid Mahrouche
Teresa Mihalik
Benoit Thibault
