Short Bursts of Radiation for AF

So researchers at Washington University in St. Louis offered the patients something experimental: short bursts of radiation aimed at their hearts in an effort to obliterate the cells that were causing the electrical malfunctions.
[www.nytimes.com]

That's been discussed her recently. It will never be a treatment for afib because of the damaging effects of radiation. It has been tested with intractable v-tach, which is a much different disease given that it can be fatal. It makes sense to use something like radiation to treat a fatal disease, but not a non-fatal one like afib.

I would repeat Shannon's comments (paraphrasing, of course) in the other thread about skepticism regarding the "shiny new thing" in AF treatment. What we have here in terms of ablation, risk-management and supplementation is the status quo for AF and will remain so for quite some time. The future may hold some sort of targeted, genetic treatment vector for AF. We should all keep an "ear to the ground" as far as that research goes. But new ways to burn things? Meh...

Maybe the best tech newbie around at the moment is Natale's 'gliding catheter' approach (using the Smart Flow Smart Touch Catheter - with contact force) but I aren't sure whetehr anyone other than Natale and his proteges are using this yet - I've asked Pierre Jais if he does this morning via email but I'm guessing his answer will be 'non' - I've already got the impression that he thinks contact fprce isn't as good as many folks think it is, but I haven't had him elaborate on that yet - got to be careful can't annoy a busy guy like him with too many questions - especially not banal or precocious ones! Personally I'm a keen advocate of anything that reduces PV reconnection, but as ever, it might be more about operator experience/skill than the tech per se.

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mwcf
but as ever, it might be more about operator experience/skill than the tech per se.

Yep, pick the operator, not his/her tools.

Totally agree with George.

If you pick one of the best ablationists in the world why would you question their methods? I would do masses of research before choosing the EP but having done that I would accept that they know their job and let them get on with it. No matter how many questions you ask, and how much reading you do, you will never know a fraction of what they know.

Gill



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/13/2018 07:24PM by Gill.