According to the design and technology consultancy Cambridge Design Partnership, their research project to identify the future of medical technology to treat Atrial Fibrillation has been completed. The report is designed to explore the emerging technologies that will lead to new innovations and help organizations who want to design treatments.

Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common cardiac arrhythmia (irregular heart beat) that affects up to 7 million individuals in the U.S. and Western Europe alone. AF is a major contributory factor to strokes and can cause congestive heart failure if left untreated.

In the last two decades, the number of hospital admissions associated to AF has increased by 66% and these figures are expected to increase. Drugs to treat AF often have adverse effects and are less than 50% effective.

Previously, the only way to treat AF involved open-heart access followed by full-thickness incisions through the atrial walls. However, more individuals with AF are shifting a low-invasive treatment that involves ablation catheters, with Radio Frequency (RF) ablation being the leading method. According to the report, the yearly cost per patient is approximately $3,600, and the total cost of AF in the EU is estimated to be around $15.7 billion.

Dr. Keith Turner, Ph.D., who will be attending Heart Rhythm May 9 to May 12, 2012 at the Boston Convention and Exhibition Center in Boston, MA, USA, has worked in medical device technology development for two decades. At Heart Rhythm Turner will be talking to other experts in the industry regarding the future of AF Catheter technology.

Cambridge Design Partnership’s report is based on various findings, including a cross-section of top industry and clinical figures, leading electrophysiologists as well as their own comprehensive experience as a medical product development company. The report describes the future of ablation catheter technology as a form of treatment and offers comprehensive and expert explanations on a wide range of subjects, like fluidics, thermal management and monitoring the formation of lesions. Cambridge Design Partnership put together an extensive review of current solutions and identified future technologies, which could become leading drivers in this expanding market.

The report includes examples of technologies that might feature in catheters in the future, including:

  • Advanced imaging techniques
  • MEMS technologies
  • Force monitoring
  • MRI-compliant components
  • Plastic electronics
  • Real-time thermal modeling

At present, all of these technologies are under development and may be suitable to incorporate in catheters in the future.

Currently, major manufacturers compete on their products’ efficacy. Competition to be commercially successful is especially fierce given that several technologies are new on the market, which means that the industry needs to step up their efforts in developing considerably better innovative next generation ablation catheters. Cambridge Design Partnership consulted with leading electrophysiologists during their research, who described what drove their decision to adopt a particular technology and what directions would be preferable in terms of their requirements.

The researchers found that the most important goal was to produce repeatable, contiguous, lasting lesions, and that device choice was substantially determined by the perception of the ability to achieve this.

Dr. Turner, Partner, Cambridge Design Partnership explained:

“This is a hugely important area in medical development. The market is competing to create more effective ablation catheters and so the ability to identify inspired engineering solutions and implement them rapidly into new products is essential.

The part I find most fascinating is hearing the views of the electrophysiologists on each of the new technologies currently under development because it implies that certain projects need a change of direction is they are to provide a return on investment.

The report should prove interesting reading for senior strategic marketing and R&D managers who are directing these programs. As a result of this research we are now in a position to help accelerate the progress of these vitally important technologies and offer companies a true insight into the needs of the experts on the front line who are treating this condition.”

Written By Grace Rattue