Johnson & Johnson (J&J) today announced the commercial launch of the dual-energy ThermoCool SmartTouch SF (DE STSF) platform in Europe.
The platform combines the dual-energy ThermoCool SmartTouch SF catheter, an irrigated contact-force sensing catheter, with the TruPulse generator to enable delivery of both radiofrequency (RF) and pulsed field (PF) energy through a single catheter-based solution.
J&J notes that the platform is designed to support precise and insight-driven ablation, enabling electrophysiologists to leverage both PF and RF energy within the same procedure.
Built on the ThermoCool SmartTouch SF platform, the company explains that DE STSF combines a familiar point-by-point workflow with the flexibility to tailor treatment approaches across a broad range of cardiac ablation procedures. “Leveraging the power of Carto integration, ultra high-density mapping solutions and intracardiac ultrasound imaging, the platform delivers advanced electro-anatomical mapping, catheter visualisation, contact-force feedback and PF/RF index guidance. Together, these capabilities are designed to support procedural control and reproducible lesion creation,” the press release reads.
“DE STSF is a welcome addition to the EP [electrophysiology] lab because it allows physicians to incorporate new technology based on the gold RF standard smarttouch SF platform while maintaining familiar workflows with greater versatility by seamlessly switching between RF and PFA,” said Nicolas Derval (Bordeaux University Hospital, Bordeaux, France). “This flexibility also provides greater ability to adjust treatment to different patient anatomies, clinical needs and procedural goals while increasing safety in ablating the posterior wall for example.”
Clinical data supporting the platform include 12-month findings from the SmartfIRE first-in-human study, which demonstrated 86.9% effectiveness among patients treated with high adherence to the recommended workflow and PF/RF Index guidance. The study also demonstrated clinically meaningful improvements in quality of life and reductions in cardiovascular-related hospitalisations and antiarrhythmic drug use.
J&J shares that the DE STSF platform is supported by the company’s integrated electrophysiology ecosystem, bringing together mapping, intracardiac ultrasound, therapy technologies and clinical support solutions designed to help physicians navigate increasingly complex ablation procedures.
