Electrophysiologists at Oklahoma Heart Institute are the first physicians in Oklahoma to offer the Arctic Front® Cardiac CryoAblation Catheter system, the first and only cryoballoon in the United States indicated to treat paroxysmal atrial fibrillation (PAF), a serious heart rhythm disorder that affects millions of Americans. Drs. Craig Cameron and Greg Cogert, Electrophysiologists with Oklahoma Heart Institute, completed the first CryoBalloon Ablation procedure on Tuesday, May 24th at Oklahoma Heart Institute.
Recently approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, the innovative cryoballoon treatment involves a minimally-invasive procedure that efficiently creates lesions around the pulmonary veins, which are the source of erratic electrical signals that cause the irregular heartbeat associated with PAF.
Unlike traditional ablation treatments that use radiofrequency, or heat, to destroy faulty electrical circuits in the heart, the balloon-based technology is novel because it ablates cardiac tissue through the use of a coolant rather than heat; which is delivered through a catheter. This freezing technology allows the catheter to adhere to the tissue during ablation, allowing for greater catheter stability.
“The value of the new cryoablation technology over existing ablation methods is that it enables physicians to safely and effectively isolate the pulmonary veins via a simple, efficient approach,” said Dr. David Sandler, Director of Electrophysiology at Oklahoma Heart Institute.
“Atrial fibrillation is the most common and one of the most undertreated heart rhythm disorders in America,” said Cameron. “This minimally invasive procedure gives patients peace-of-mind that their heart may be restored to an appropriate rhythm and they can resume their normal, daily activity following the treatment.”
According to the STOP-AF (Sustained Treatment of Paroxysmal Atrial Fibrillation) trial, which served as the basis for FDA approval, 69.9 percent of patients treated with Arctic Front achieved treatment success at 12 months, compared to 7.3 percent of patients treated with drug therapy only. The study also demonstrated that treatment with the device is safe and showed a reduction in adverse events caused by atrial fibrillation compared to drug therapy. Additionally, patients treated with Arctic Front displayed a significant reduction of symptoms, a decrease in the use of drug therapy and substantial improvements in both physical and mental quality-of-life factors.
Oklahoma Heart Institute, located on the campus of Hillcrest Medical Center, is the state’s largest hospital dedicated exclusively to heart disease. The hospital provides a full range of cardiovascular services including a comprehensive Cardiovascular Diagnostic Center, Cardiovascular Interventional and Electrophysiology Laboratories, Pre- and Post-Cardiac Cath Lab Procedure Beds, a Cardiovascular Intensive Care Unit, Cardiac Telemetry Beds, a Heart Failure CARE Center, Cardiovascular Research program and an Education Center.
Media Contact / For More Information:
Angela Peterson, Media & Public Relations Manager, Hillcrest HealthCare System 918.579.5203 (office) or 918.605.3573 (media cell phone) or anpeters@hillcrest.com