Arrhythmia Invaders

New catheter system slices atrial fibrillation recovery time

Computer-generated graphics and a joystick are generally associated with video games. But in the case of a robotic-arm catheter system, the tools of video games make the latest ,in heart health care a reality.

University Heart, a part of University of Mississippi Health Care, has acquired advanced technology to help patients with atrial fibrillation, a condition that causes a rapid, irregular heartbeat in roughly 2.5 million people nationwide and at least a quarter of all strokes.

The robotic-arm catheter SYSTEM is one of only 36 in the United States to be used in the treatment of atrial fibrillation. It’s an external mechanical arm that consists of an intricate array of micro and mini motors controlled by the physician with a 3-D joystick to accurately move the ablation catheter in the heart.

Dr. Douglas Wolfe, Dr. Mark Borganelli and Dr. John Payne, cardiologists who specialize in electrophysiology, use the Medical Center’s robotic system.

Payne said the procedure is performed with minimal intrusion into the body. It works like this: Soft flexible wires are placed into blood vessels and are manually positioned in the beating heart to pinpoint and destroy the source of an arrhythmia, which may be as small as 1/16 of an inch in diameter.

“It is routine for most patients to go home the same day with very little physical restrictions and back to full activity within two days,” Payne said.

Manually performed ablation procedures may take as long as six hours and may require a second procedure to eliminate atrial fibrillation. Payne said the robotic catheter can reduce procedure time by up to two hours.

“Robotic-assisted transcatheter ablation offers the advantage of reliable, precise and faster positioning of the ablation catheter in the heart in order to ‘rewire’ the atrial chamber,” Payne said.

Darrin Gillus, a cardiology nurse and clinical account manager for the robotic system, said UMHC joins an elite group of academic medical centers in the South, such as the University of Virginia, Duke University and Emory University, which use this technology for atrial fibrillation.

“The biggest benefit TO PHYSICIANS is they don’t have to stand at the bedside. He’s able to manipulate the catheter any way he wants it. If he wants to move it a centimeter, it moves a centimeter. This has perfect stability,” he said.

-Patice Sawyer Guilfoyle

2009-05-11 00:00:00 18912