RF Ablation Catheter Treats Cardiac Arrhythmia

An innovative open irrigated ablation catheter treats atrial flutter by destroying sections of cardiac tissue responsible for the arrhythmias.

The Therapy Cool Flex ablation catheter is a steerable, deflectable, irrigated catheter used to treat atrial flutter by finding the source of the rhythm disturbance in focal areas of tissue located in the atria of the heart. The ablation catheter is powered by a proprietary cardiac ablation generator that delivers radiofrequency (RF) energy to the laser-cut tip that is designed with a specially cut pattern that allows the catheter tip to be flexible, and provides a more uniform distribution of saline fluid.


The unique, laser-cut catheter tip electrode features irrigation slits arranged in a zigzag pattern to allow saline to flow around the entire surface area of the tip, improving cooling performance. The four ports on the distal tip enhance cooling when the catheter is in a perpendicular orientation, but once the tip is flexed, the laser-cut tip opens further on one side, directing up to 70% of the irrigation flow toward the tip-to-tissue interface. Average tip temperature is approximately 5 °C cooler in comparison to rigid tip catheters, with the possibility of reduced thrombus, char formation, and steam pops.

The device is inserted percutaneously and is manually advanced until it reaches the correct location inside the atrium. The tip of the catheter can be deformed by pushing or pulling on the handle, facilitating navigation. Once inside the heart, electrodes at the tip of the catheter identify the ablation site by electrical mapping. Once identified, RF energy destroys the tissues responsible for the flutter. The catheter is removed after treatment. The Therapy Cool Flex ablation catheter is a product of Irvine Biomedical, a St. Jude Medical (Irvine, CA, USA) company, and has been approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

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