At Heart Rhythm 2010, there was an update on the results of the STOP AF (Sustained Treatment of Paroxysmal Atrial Fibrillation) clinical trial that involved patients who received cryoablation using the Arctic Front® Cardiac CryoAblation Catheter System. At twelve months following these procedures, these younger, highly-symptomatic patients had better quality of life and dramatically decreased afib symptoms.
In the article linked below, Jeremy Ruskin, MD, chair of the STOP AF trial steering committee and Director of the Cardiac Arrhythmia Service at Massachusetts General Hospital, discusses those results along with some of the technical advantages of the cryoballoon catheter. We also report on data just released at Cardiostim 2010 regarding shorter procedure times with this catheter.
Read more: STOP AF Cryoablation for Atrial Fibrillation — Quality of Life Results and Technical Considerations