Cryoablation to Treat Atrial Fibrillation

Atrial fibrillation affects millions of Americans.  This type of cardiac arrhythmia may cause no symptoms, but is often associated with palpitations, fainting, chest pains, and congestive heart failure.  Atrial fibrillation can also increase the risk of stroke and a third of all strokes are caused by AF.

The chaotic rhythm formed by AF causes blood to pool in the atria and sometimes forms clots.  If these clots dislodge and block a vessel to the brain, a stroke ensues.    A new device approved by the FDA destroys this problem by freezing the heart tissue with a novel balloon ablation catheter.  The cryoablation works by expanding a cold balloon that expands and contacts the entire atrial wall outside the pulmonary veins.

 Results from a clinical study show that about 70 percent of patients who underwent the cryoablation remained free of the heart problem compared to only 7 percent with medication.



http://phys.org/news/2011-02-atrial-fibrillation.html