Pulmonary Vein Isolation Using the Visually Guided Laser Balloon

“In theory, this technology has distinct advantages over both point-by-point ablation and the cryoballoon catheter. It offers stable catheter position and contiguous lesions like other balloon-based technologies, along with ability to selectively titrate energy to each part of the circumferential lesion set like point-by-point RF ablation. In addition, the laser balloon diameter can be changed dynamically to suit each PV antrum, and this is the first ablation technology to allow the operator to directly visualize tissue changes during ablation. However, theoretical advantages notwithstanding, the value of any ablation technology derives from its clinical results The early experience is promising, and [HeartLight provides] another piece of evidence that the days of point-by-point ablation for [pulmonary vein isolation] are numbered.”

Vivek Y. ReddyDirector of Cardiac Arrhythmia Services, Mount Sinai

“These results further demonstrate that a group of physicians largely new to the HeartLight technique can equal their outcomes with the control arm device by using the HeartLight System. Importantly, these results were obtained early in the HeartLight learning curve from veteran radiofrequency (RF) catheter ablation practitioners with extensive experience with the control arm device. Given that this was the first time these physicians were performing treatments using endoscopic guidance, without the guidance of local electrograms, this is really exciting; as a cardiologist, this is in fact the first time since surgical training that we can actually see what we are ablating inside the heart.”