New Heart Procedure Uses Bipolar RF Energy

An animal study has shown that a new technique to correct atrial fibrillation using biopolar radiofrequency (RF) power requires less time than the traditional treatment, produces lower temperatures, but still permanently alters electrical connections in the heart that cause atrial fibrillation. The study was presented at the 2001 Clinical Congress of the American College of Surgeons in New Orleans (LA, USA) by Dr. Sunil M. Prasad, a surgical fellow at Washington University School of Medicine (St. Louis, Mo. USA) and the lead author.

The traditional treatment, called the Maze procedure, is technically difficult, time-consuming, and keeps patients on the heart-lung machine for several hours. Surgeons at Washington University will be using the new RF technique in conjunction with the Maze procedure on patients undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting who cannot tolerate additional time on the heart-lung machine and on patients whose atrial fibrillation cannot be controlled with medications.

They are using bipolar RF because it offers advantages over unipolar RF. In the animal study, the procedure generated temperatures of only 40-50 degrees C 1 mm from the probe and took only nine seconds to create transmural lesions that persisted for up to 30 days. The technique successfully achieved both acute and chronic isolation of the tissue from surrounding electrical activities, which showed that transmural ablation had occurred. The average length of hospital stay for patients who have the Maze procedure is seven to 10 days. Patients having the new technique would theoretically need be in the hospital for only a day or two.

"This study indicates to us that the procedure is effective and safe to do in patients.” Said Dr. Ralph J. Damiamo, professor of surgery at Washington University. "We are refining the technique so it can be done on the beating heart without placing patients on the heart-lung machine, which should minimize complications and accelerate recovery.”




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