New catheter improves outcomes for abnormal heart beat

Posted on August 9, 2014 By Editor Neighborhood News

A new catheter being used by cardiologists at Baptist Heart Specialists is helping patients who have an abnormal heart rhythm. The THERMOCOOL® SmartTOUCH ™ Catheter is used for ablation procedures for patients such as those suffering from atrial fibrillation (Afib).
About 40 cases procedures since been performed at Baptist Medical Center, where cardiac electro-physiologists at Baptist Heart Specialists were the first in the Jacksonville area to start using the new catheter this past spring.
Used for complex cardiac ablation, the catheter helps to improve patient outcomes, increase safety and reduce fluoroscopy or radiation exposure. The new technology enables doctors to accurately control the amount of contact force applied to the heart wall during radiofrequency catheter ablation procedures.
An estimated three million Americans suffer from Afib, a progressive disease that increases in severity and frequency if left untreated, and can lead to chronic fatigue, congestive heart failure and stroke. While most Afib patients today are treated with medication, about half of patients are not able to control their abnormal heart rhythm with medication or find they cannot tolerate the side effects.