Advisor HD Grid mapping catheter cleared in Europe

With the European launch of this latest addition to Abbott's electrophysiology portfolio, the company is offering physicians a mapping catheter with a first-of-its-kind grid configuration of electrodes for improved data collection that supports the creation of high-density mapping of cardiac tissue to support optimal treatment for patients.

Arrhythmias are abnormal heart rhythms caused by disruptions in the heart's electrical signals. For patients battling these complex arrhythmias, physicians may use cardiac ablation therapy to create tiny scars or lesions on the heart to stop erratic electrical signals.

Yet to ensure the best outcomes for their patients, physicians first need to identify which areas of the heart are responsible for those signals. Mapping catheters are critical to providing this insight. Indicated for use in any chamber of the heart, the new Advisor HD Grid mapping catheter is designed to combat challenges sometimes associated with traditional mapping catheters.

Linear or circular mapping catheters may experience signal disruptions as the orientation of the catheter changes. The Advisor HD Grid mapping catheter is intended to help physicians avoid signal loss by allowing for data to be captured horizontally and vertically along a new electrode grid configuration with 16 sensors.

As a result, the Advisor HD Grid mapping catheter utilises high-density mapping to create detailed and anatomically accurate 3D models of the heart. Abbott's Advisor HD Grid mapping catheter enables physicians to collect data simultaneously along the catheter's grid pattern to help optimise treatment decisions.

Combined with the EnSite Precision Cardiac Mapping System, the data captured by the catheter is used to create a highly detailed map highlighting the differences between healthy tissue and tissue responsible for a patient's cardiac arrhythmias, such as atrial fibrillation. Such detail can make an important impact on a physician's ablation strategy and approach to patient care.

As an added benefit for physicians, by designing the Advisor HD Grid mapping catheter as Sensor Enabled, Abbott has allowed the catheter to capture data in two ways – through impedance and magnetic collection, improving how data is collected and providing physicians additional flexibility when pairing the catheter with the EnSite Precision Cardiac Mapping System.