FDA approves ablation catheter with flexible tip to treat cardiac arrhythmias

St. Jude Medical announced that the FDA has approved an ablation catheter with a flexible tip for treatment of patients with cardiac arrhythmias.

The ablation catheter (FlexAbility) has a bendable irrigated catheter tip with an advanced handle and a next-generation shaft design. It was developed to better conform to the cardiac anatomy and allow for effective lesion formation; for easy maneuver in challenging cases; and to provide optimal irrigation flow over the entire tip for improved cooling, which could reduce risk factors associated with the delivery of therapy, according to a company press release.

“For the past several years, we have been looking for a catheter that provided a gentler, more optimal approach to ablation,” Andrea Natale, MD, FHRS, FACC, FESC, cardiac electrophysiologist and executive medical director at the Texas Cardiac Arrhythmia Institute at St. David’s Medical Center, Austin, said in the release. “The FlexAbility catheter addresses this need and provides me with another safe treatment option for my patients.”

The device received a CE Mark in Europe last year, according to the release.