Electrophysiologists at the Texas Cardiac Arrhythmia Institute (TCAI) at St. David’s Medical Center in Austin, Texas, have become the first in the United States to utilize a newly FDA-approved, all-in-one, high-density mapping and dual-energy ablation catheter for treating persistent atrial fibrillation (AF) and atrial flutter. The device offers the ability to map the heart and deliver ablation therapy simultaneously.
The first procedure using the Affera catheter (Medtronic) was performed on November 7, 2024, by Andrea Natale, MD, and Amin Al-Ahmad, MD. Dr. Natale also participated in the clinical trial that supported the FDA approval of the device.
According to a TCAI press release, the sphere-shaped catheter allows physicians to customize treatment during an ablation procedure, using either pulsed field or radiofrequency energy delivery, while providing mapping capabilities to correct abnormal heart rhythms. Pulsed field ablation (PFA) delivers short-duration, high-energy electrical pulses to cardiac tissue, destroying cells that cause irregular heart rhythms without excess heat or cold. Radiofrequency ablation uses thermal energy to destroy the same cells.
Benefits of the New Catheter
"This all-in-one, first-of-its-kind catheter allows physicians to map, ablate and validate all with a single catheter, enhancing workflow flexibility and efficiency, ultimately enabling greater safety and efficacy," said Dr. Natale. He added, "As global innovation for the treatment of heart arrhythmias continues to advance, the Texas Cardiac Arrhythmia Institute is grateful to be leading the way for patients in Central Texas and beyond."
The device is designed to improve the precision and efficiency of ablation procedures, potentially leading to better outcomes for patients with atrial fibrillation and atrial flutter, heart arrhythmias that affect millions of people worldwide.
TCAI's Leadership in Electrophysiology
TCAI is a state-of-the-art Electrophysiology Center with six labs equipped with advanced technology. The center's electrophysiologists perform a high volume of complex electrophysiology procedures. Earlier this year, TCAI conducted the first cases in the USA for both of the pulsed field ablation (PFA) catheters that were commercially approved at the time.
