BACKGROUND: Catheters are typically stiff and incorporate a pull-wire mechanism to allow tip deflection. While standing at the patient's side, the operator manually navigates the catheter in the heart using fluoroscopic guidance. METHODS AND RESULTS: A total of 42 patients (32 female; mean age, 55+/-15 years) underwent ablation of common-type (slow/fast) or uncommon-type (slow/slow) atrioventricular nodal reentrant tachycardia (AVNRT) with the use of the magnetic navigation system Niobe (Stereotaxis, Inc). It consists of 2 computer-controlled permanent magnets located on opposite sides of the patient, which create a steerable external magnetic field (0.08 T). A small magnet embedded in the catheter tip causes the catheter to align and to be steered by the external magnetic field. A motor drive advances or retracts the catheter, enabling complete remote navigation. Radiofrequency current was applied with the use of a remote-controlled 4-mm, solid-tip, magnetic navigation-enabled catheter (55 degrees C, maximum 40 W, 60 seconds) in all patients. The investigators, who were situated in the control room, performed the ablation using a mean of 7.2+/-4.7 radiofrequency current applications (mean fluoroscopy time, 8.9+/-6.2 minutes; procedure duration, 145+/-43 minutes). Slow pathway ablation was achieved in 15 patients, whereas slow pathway modulation was the end point in the remaining patients. There were no complications. CONCLUSIONS: The Niobe magnetic navigation system is a new platform technology allowing remote-controlled navigation of an ablation catheter. In conjunction with a motor drive unit, this system was used successfully to perform completely remote-controlled mapping and ablation in patients with AVNRT.
BACKGROUND: Catheters are typically stiff and incorporate a pull-wire mechanism to allow tip deflection. While standing at the patient's side, the operator manually navigates the catheter in the heart using fluoroscopic guidance. METHODS AND RESULTS: A total of 42 patients (32 female; mean age, 55+/-15 years) underwent ablation of common-type (slow/fast) or uncommon-type (slow/slow) atrioventricular nodal reentrant tachycardia (AVNRT) with the use of the magnetic navigation system Niobe (Stereotaxis, Inc). It consists of 2 computer-controlled permanent magnets located on opposite sides of the patient, which create a steerable external magnetic field (0.08 T). A small magnet embedded in the catheter tip causes the catheter to align and to be steered by the external magnetic field. A motor drive advances or retracts the catheter, enabling complete remote navigation. Radiofrequency current was applied with the use of a remote-controlled 4-mm, solid-tip, magnetic navigation-enabled catheter (55 degrees C, maximum 40 W, 60 seconds) in all patients. The investigators, who were situated in the control room, performed the ablation using a mean of 7.2+/-4.7 radiofrequency current applications (mean fluoroscopy time, 8.9+/-6.2 minutes; procedure duration, 145+/-43 minutes). Slow pathway ablation was achieved in 15 patients, whereas slow pathway modulation was the end point in the remaining patients. There were no complications. CONCLUSIONS: The Niobe magnetic navigation system is a new platform technology allowing remote-controlled navigation of an ablation catheter. In conjunction with a motor drive unit, this system was used successfully to perform completely remote-controlled mapping and ablation in patients with AVNRT.
Authors: T Krings; J Finney; P Niggemann; P Reinacher; N Lück; A Drexler; J Lovell; A Meyer; R Sehra; P Schauerte; M Reinges; F J Hans; A Thron Journal: Neuroradiology Date: 2006-04-19 Impact factor: 2.804
Authors: E Kevin Heist; Jianping Chevalier; Godtfred Holmvang; Jagmeet P Singh; Patrick T Ellinor; David J Milan; Andre D'Avila; Theofanie Mela; Jeremy N Ruskin; Moussa Mansour Journal: J Interv Card Electrophysiol Date: 2007-01-25 Impact factor: 1.900
Authors: K R Julian Chun; Boris Schmidt; Bülent Köktürk; Roland Tilz; Alexander Fürnkranz; Melanie Konstantinidou; Erik Wissner; Andreas Metzner; Feifan Ouyang; Karl-Heinz Kuck Journal: Herz Date: 2008-12 Impact factor: 1.443