Abbott, a global healthcare company, has announced the launch of the TactiFlex Sensor Enabled Ablation Catheter, the world’s first ablation catheter featuring a flexible tip combined with contact force technology.
The heart relies on its electrical system to initiate each beat. When this system malfunctions, it can cause an irregular heartbeat known as arrhythmia. The most common type of arrhythmia is atrial fibrillation (AFib), which occurs when electrical impulses misfire, causing the atria, or upper chambers of the heart, to quiver or flutter. This irregular rhythm can lead to blood clots, strokes, and other cardiac complications.
Cardiac ablation is a minimally invasive procedure where a catheter is inserted through a blood vessel into the heart. The catheter contains diagnostic tools to identify the areas responsible for abnormal electrical signals. The physician then applies energy through the catheter to create small scars on the heart tissue, blocking the faulty signals causing the irregular heartbeat. The TactiFlex catheter is used during these procedures to treat AFib and has shown to reduce procedure times and improve safety compared to Abbott’s previous catheter models.
Henry Cheng, General Manager for Asia and Director Strategy, Asia Pacific for Abbott’s Electrophysiology business, said, “For those suffering from AFib, daily tasks can be challenging due to dizziness, chest pain and heart palpitations. If left untreated, AFib can also lead to a stroke, making it critical to address the issue as early as possible. This device helps doctors restore normal heart rhythms by guiding electrical currents back to their proper pathways.”
Rahul Sharma, Country Manager for Abbott’s Electrophysiology business in India, explained the technology in detail, “When used with the EnSite X EP System, doctors can accurately map and identify areas of the heart that need treatment, ensuring precise results and better patient outcomes. Unlike other catheters, the TactiFlex catheter uses a tip design with a laser-cut pattern that flexes when in contact with the heart wall. This helps direct fluid to the treated tissue and allows for more accurate positioning of the catheter – providing up to two-times higher stability in a beating heart – for consistent therapy delivery.”
According to the Indian Heart Journal, the incidence of AFib in India is increasing, though it remains lower than in Western countries. Prevalence studies in India report a range between 0.1 per cent and 1.6 per cent. Indian patients with AFib are generally younger and more often female. Despite lower prevalence, the condition’s burden is growing, calling for enhanced diagnostic and management approaches.
The Abbott TactiFlex catheter has demonstrated clinical efficacy in the TactiFlex AF IDE study, achieving over 99 per cent acute procedural success by creating fast and safe lesions to treat AFib.
