ABBOTT PARK, Ill., Jan. 21, 2019
/PRNewswire/ -- Abbott (NYSE: ABT) today announced U.S.
Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval of the TactiCath™
Contact Force Ablation Catheter, Sensor Enabled™, a new ablation
catheter designed to help physicians accurately and effectively
treat atrial fibrillation (AFib). The approval further expands
Abbott's portfolio of cardiac ablation tools that integrate with
the company's EnSite Precision™ cardiac mapping system to help
physicians develop more precise images of the heart during cardiac
ablation procedures.
Similar to Abbott's other sensor enabled mapping and ablation
treatment catheters, TactiCath (Sensor Enabled) SE delivers more
precise images of the heart overlaid with real-time electrical
activity information. The catheter also utilizes the advanced
ergonomic design found in the company's FlexAbility™ ablation
catheter for superior reach and maneuverability during cardiac
ablation procedures.
"Cardiac ablation has become a front-line therapy in the fight
against conditions like atrial fibrillation in part because of
improvements to the technology available today," said Roger Winkle, M.D., an electrophysiologist at
Sequoia Hospital in Redwood City,
Calif., and one of the first physicians to treat patients
with the newly FDA-approved catheter. "The Abbott TactiCath SE
ablation catheter represents one of those major improvements, and
offers an incredibly powerful, yet easy to use, combination of
advanced technologies to improve ablation procedures."
Technological Advancements in Cardiac Ablation
One of
the most common cardiac arrhythmias in the world, AFib can affect
how efficiently the heart pumps blood through the body, causing
symptoms such as dizziness, shortness of breath or lightheadedness.
The condition can also increase a person's risk of stroke. To treat
conditions like AFib, physicians can use ablation catheters to scar
tissue in the heart that is generating abnormal electrical signals
and disrupting a patient's natural heartbeat. As the number of
patients receiving cardiac ablation therapy worldwide has grown,
Abbott has prioritized ablation technology that adds efficiency and
accuracy to ablation procedures. Abbott cardiac ablation technology
is currently used to treat patients in more than 84 countries
worldwide.
Not all ablation technology is the same, however. Physicians
have begun exploring the use of new tools such as "contact force"
technology during ablation procedures to help them avoid applying
too much pressure to heart tissue (resulting in complications) or
insufficient pressure (which may reduce the effectiveness of the
procedure). In addition, Abbott has also invested in technology to
improve the accuracy of cardiac mapping to support cardiac ablation
procedures.
Over the last two years, Abbott has expanded offerings within
its electrophysiology portfolio to drive new growth and build on
the company's leadership. In addition to new clinical trials to
further build clinical evidence surrounding cardiac ablation, the
company has also launched the Advisor™ HD Grid Mapping Catheter,
Sensor Enabled, and the FlexAbility™ Ablation Catheter, Sensor
Enabled.
"TactiCath SE directly supports our goal of supporting fast,
effective and safe cardiac ablation procedures," said Srijoy
Mahapatra, M.D., FHRS, medical director of Abbott's
Electrophysiology business. "As more physicians turn to cardiac
ablation to treat AFib, Abbott's goal is to equip them with the
most advanced ablation catheters combined with the most advanced
cardiac mapping on the market."
About Abbott:
At Abbott, we're committed to
helping you live your best possible life through the power of
health. For more than 125 years, we've brought new products and
technologies to the world -- in nutrition, diagnostics, medical
devices and branded generic pharmaceuticals -- that create more
possibilities for more people at all stages of life. Today, 99,000
of us are working to help people live not just longer, but better,
in the more than 150 countries we serve.
Connect with us at www.abbott.com, on Facebook
at www.facebook.com/Abbott and on Twitter @AbbottCardio,
@AbbottNews and @AbbottGlobal.
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SOURCE Abbott