Ive heard of ablation catheters that use Cryo (freezing). Are they any good or better than the RF (Radio Frequency) catheters in use today for PVA(I) ablations?
According to a pioneer in the technique, Dr. Walter Kerwin of Cedars-Sinai-Los Angeles, Cryo ablation seems to have definite advantages over RF.101 (Dr. Kerwin performed the first catheter Cryo ablation in the Western United States in 2005.) ADVANTAGES OF CRYO ABLATION: – Cryo ablation allows a doctor to test an ablation before making it permanent. Heart tissue can be slightly frozen to test whether it is responsible for producing A-Fib signals. That tissue can then be re-warmed and restored to its normal electrical function. Heat-based therapies like RF dont allow that—once the heart tissue is burned, it stays burned. – With Cryo there is less risk of damaging other areas of the heart or esophagus. Often in catheter ablation doctors have to work close to critical structures such as the hearts pacemaking system, the esophagus, or the coronary arteries. For example, an RF ablation in the wrong spot can block the normal electrical conduction in the heart and require the surgical insert
(The FDA approved the first cryoablation balloon catheter for A-Fib December 20, 2010.) Currently the FDA has approved only RF and Cryo for A-Fib ablations. Microwave uses electromagnetic radiation to produce heat for tissue ablation. HIFU uses focused ultrasound (acoustic energy) to heat tissue. At the present time there doesn’t seem to be much research interest in either of these energy sources. Laser energy, however, is a different story. Laser uses light energy to create ablation lesions. The Laser balloon catheter is one of the most exciting developments in catheter ablation. See the Laser Balloon Catheter. The laser seems to produce good lesions without the vaporizing and charring of tissue as with RF. An added advantage is direct visualization (endoscopic catheter). The doctor sees directly through the catheter the area he/she is ablating. However, the Laser Balloon Catheter is probably years away from FDA approval.
