Abbott has announced positive results from three clinical studies investigating the benefits associated with focal impulse rotor modulation (FIRM)-guided rotor ablation for atrial fibrillation.
The investigator-sponsored studies, which evaluated the use of Abbott’s RhythmView technology, were presented at CARDIOSTIM-EHRA EUROPACE 2016.
“The latest data presented at Cardiostim adds to a growing body of clinical evidence in support of the FIRM-guided approach in combination with conventional ablation, with the goals of optimising treatment planning for atrial fibrillation and improving long-term results for our patients,” says Stefan Spitzer of the Praxisklinik Herz und Gefäße in Dresden, Germany, who authored one of the data presentations at the conference. “I look forward to additional analyses that further investigate this important therapy option.”
The studies presented at Cardiostim investigated the benefits associated with FIRM-guided rotor ablation when combined with the traditional procedure for atrial fibrillation. Key findings include:
- Spitzer presented results from 58 patients finding 80.8% of patients free from atrial fibrillation at 12 months post-treatment with FIRM-guided ablation for redo cases of persistent atrial fibrillation, with 83% of patients having long-standing persistent atrial fibrillation.
- Tamas Szili-Torok (Rotterdam, Netherlands) presented the first results from the European-Focal Impulse and Rotor Modulation Registry (E-FIRM) of 138 patients showing 78% and 72% of patients in sinus rhythm following treatment with the FIRM-guided ablation at six and 12 months, respectively.
- Haroon Rashid (Falls Church, USA) shared data examining the relationship between stable rotors and obstructive sleep apnoea in 47 patients, showing 78.6% of patients in sinus rhythm after FIRM-guided ablation, despite the presence of obstructive sleep apnoea.
