BIOTRONIK’s AlCath® Gold Ablation Catheter Coupled with Maximum Voltage-Guided Technique Is Optimal Approach for Typical Atrial Flutter Ablation

Superior gold-tip catheter outperforms platinum-iridium tips – maximum voltage-guided technique is optimal versus conventional ablation

BIOTRONIK announced today that its AlCath^® Gold ablation catheter, together with the maximum voltage-guided (MVG) technique for radiofrequency catheter ablation of atrial flutter, has been shown to provide optimal clinical results. The post-hoc analysis data from the AURUM 8 clinical study was published in the Journal of Cardiovascular Electrophysiology (JCE).¹

AURUM 8 ² is the largest randomized atrial flutter ablation study in the world, with a total of 463 patients undergoing cavotricuspid isthmus (CTI) ablation in 19 clinical centers worldwide. The patients were randomized into two groups. They either received treatment using an 8-mm gold-tip catheter or an 8-mm platinum-iridium-tip catheter. The gold-tip catheter was associated with a significantly higher ablation success rate.

In the AURUM 8 study, 72 patients were treated with the MVG technique. A post-hoc analysis compared this subgroup with a patient group who underwent conventional anatomic CTI ablation. The MVG technique markedly reduced ablation time, the number of lesions, fluoroscopy time, the procedure duration and the energy delivered compared with anatomic CTI ablation. Furthermore, this subgroup analysis also confirmed previous results of AURUM 8: the MVG technique has even more advantages with a gold-tip catheter.

“The results of this post-hoc analysis show that the MVG technique is preferred over conventional CTI ablation due to an increased acute success rate, shorter ablation times and less charring,” stated Professor Dr. Thorsten Lewalter of the Isar Heart Center Munich , Medical Center for Cardiology and Internal Intensive Care. “Further analysis showed that using a gold-tip catheter with the MVG technique ensures optimal clinical and health economical outcomes.”

“This latest data confirms the results of a previous randomized study from the Gottsegen Gyorgy Hungarian Institute of Cardiology in Budapest published in 2009”³ commented Dr. Werner Braun, Managing Director at BIOTRONIK. “BIOTRONIK gold-tip ablation catheters are made of 99.9 percent pure gold. Compared with platinum, they provide four times greater thermal conductivity, maintain a cooler tip-temperature, facilitate fast and efficient lesion formation, and reduce coagulation resulting in reduced catheter exchange rates during the procedure.”

References

¹ Lewalter et al., Journal of Cardiovascular Electrophysiology (2012), “Largest Amplitude Ablation” is the Optimal Approach for Typical Atrial Flutter Ablation: A Subanalysis from the Aurum 8 Study.

² Lewalter et al., Europace (2010), Gold vs. platinum–iridium tip catheter for cavotricuspid isthmus ablation: the AURUM 8 study.

³ Attila Kardos et al., PACE (2009), Cavotricuspid Isthmus Ablation with Large-Tip Gold Alloy Versus Platinum-Iridium-Tip Electrode Catheters.

About BIOTRONIK SE & Co. KG

As one of the world’s leading manufacturers of cardiovascular medical devices, with several million devices implanted, BIOTRONIK is represented in over 100 countries by its global workforce of over 5,600 employees. Known for having its finger on the pulse of the medical community, BIOTRONIK assesses the challenges physicians face, and provides the best solutions for all phases of patient care, ranging from diagnosis to treatment to patient management. Quality, innovation and reliability define BIOTRONIK and its growing success, and deliver confidence and peace of mind to physicians and their patients worldwide.

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Contact:

BIOTRONIK SE & Co. KG
Sandy Hathaway
Senior Director, Global Communications
Tel. +49 (0) 30 68905 1602
Email: sandy.hathaway@biotronik.com