HomeMedical SpecialtiesCardiologyNew cardiac mapping catheter cuts surgery time

New cardiac mapping catheter cuts surgery time

Published on

Technology helps reduce surgical wait-times, helps patients heal more quickly

By John Pereira

Patients undergoing a cardiac procedure at Kingston Health Sciences Centre (KHSC) will now benefit from a new technology that will cut their surgery time in half and help them recover more quickly. Known as the Abbott Advisor™ HD Grid Mapping Catheter, Sensor Enabled™, this catheter is a first-of-its-kind technology that provides the latest in cardiac mapping for patients with cardiac arrhythmias. KHSC is the first in Canada to use this technology.

“The use of this catheter means that we will be able to see a lot more data much more quickly, which will significantly help us map the heart,” says Dr. Benedict Glover a cardiologist at KHSC and assistant professor of cardiology at Queen’s University. “In a cardiac procedure mapping of the heart takes about sixty per cent of the surgery time, but with this catheter we can cut that time in half, which means shorter procedures and less waiting time for our patients.”

For some patients with a cardiac arrhythmia, physicians may use cardiac ablation therapy to create scars or lesions on the tissue of the heart where the abnormal heartbeats originate. As a result, this tissue is no longer capable sustaining the arrhythmia.

Research team pioneers simple diagnostic tool for Lyme-related heart condition

Mapping catheters are critical to helping physicians visualize and navigate the heart during an ablation procedure. The new mapping catheter is designed to record electrical information from the heart to create a highly detailed cardiac map that helps doctors find and diagnose cardiac arrhythmias in their patients.

“There is huge potential for this catheter,” says Dr. Glover, who performed the first procedure using the technology at KHSC’s KGH site. “Its novel design means it can capture both the direction and speed of signals in much greater detail than current technology. It gives us a better understanding of the electrical properties of certain arrhythmias such as atrial fibrillation. We’re very lucky to be the first to use it.”

This is the second time KHSC’s electrophysiology group has taken the lead in implementing new technology for arrhythmia surgery. In 2017 Dr. Glover was the first in North America to use an advanced mapping suite of technologies for cardiac ablation surgery. This latest tool enhances the capabilities of that sophisticated platform.

John Pereira is the Strategic Communications Advisor  at Kingston Health Sciences Centre.

 

Latest articles

Early Talent, Big Impact: Powering the Future of Healthcare Technology Innovation

Rapid innovations in technology, particularly AI, have many worried that machines will threaten their...

Celebrating Medical Radiation Technology Week

This year, Canada will celebrate Medical Radiation Technology Week from November 3-9. This week...

UHN researchers deploy VR in search for enhanced care solutions

Imagine hearing your father singing the tunes of Jacques Brel, one of the most...

PTSD patients can benefit just as much from intensive outpatient programs as from inpatient clinics

Keeping patients in their community during treatment can be as effective as being isolated...

More like this

Bringing world’s tiniest heart pump to Scarborough

In a groundbreaking achievement, Scarborough Health Network (SHN) has become the first non-cardiac surgical...

World first discoveries allow researchers to accurately diagnose prenatal exposure syndromes and birth disorders

Researchers at London Health Sciences Centre (LHSC) and Lawson Health Research Institute are using...

Study shows significant strain on health care system over next two decades

A new study, released by the University of Toronto’s Dalla Lana School of Public...

RVH’s emergency department Minor Ailment Patient Pathway

Royal Victoria Regional Health Centre’s (RVH) Emergency Department (ED) is well prepared to serve...

AI tools to ease administrative burdens in ER

Unity Health Toronto has received $200 thousand in funding from Toronto Innovation Acceleration Partners...

Mission critical: Maximizing safety in emergency departments

Managing violent patients in hospitals is a growing concern, particularly in emergency departments where...