Publications
Transcatheter Pulmonary Vein Isolation
Effective catheter treatment of atrial fibrillation was made possible by a breakthrough discovery in the late 1990's by investigators in Bordeaux , France . They found that recurrent atrial fibrillation (paroxysmal and persistent) is triggered by rapidly firing tissue, (called "ectopic foci"), that are located in one or more of the four pulmonary veins (PV's), which attach to the rear of the left atrium. Their research, since confirmed by others, suggested that 85% or more of the ectopic foci that initiate atrial fibrillation are located in or at the ostium, (mouth), of the pulmonary veins. They demonstrated that AFib could be cured by ablation techniques that electrically isolated the PV's from the rest of the atrium.
Published Research:
Effective catheter treatment of atrial fibrillation was made possible by a breakthrough discovery in the late 1990's by investigators in Bordeaux , France . They found that recurrent atrial fibrillation (paroxysmal and persistent) is triggered by rapidly firing tissue, (called "ectopic foci"), that are located in one or more of the four pulmonary veins (PV's), which attach to the rear of the left atrium. Their research, since confirmed by others, suggested that 85% or more of the ectopic foci that initiate atrial fibrillation are located in or at the ostium, (mouth), of the pulmonary veins. They demonstrated that AFib could be cured by ablation techniques that electrically isolated the PV's from the rest of the atrium.
Published Research:

Feasibility of Circumferential Pulmonary Vein Isolation Using a Novel Endoscopic Ablation System.
Circ Arrhythm Electrophysiol published online July 24, 2010
Circ Arrhythm Electrophysiol published online July 24, 2010


Pulmonary vein isolation using a compliant endoscopic laser balloon ablation system in a swine model
J Interv Card Electrophysiol published online July 13, 2010
J Interv Card Electrophysiol published online July 13, 2010


Visual Balloon-Guided Point-By-Point Ablation: Reliable, Reproducible and Persistent Pulmonary Vein Isolation.
Circ Arrhythm Electrophysiol published online May 26, 2010.
Circ Arrhythm Electrophysiol published online May 26, 2010.


Risk of Thrombus Formation During Pulmonary Vein Isolation Using a Visually-Guided Laser Balloon Ablation Catheter
Heart Rhythm, Vol 7, No. 5, S-315, May 2010
Heart Rhythm, Vol 7, No. 5, S-315, May 2010


Symposium examines latest treatments of atrial fibrillation
Medical Device Daily, Vol 14, No 16, January 26, 2010, pp 1-11
Medical Device Daily, Vol 14, No 16, January 26, 2010, pp 1-11


Comparison of Radiofrequency Ablation vs Visually-Guided Laser Balloon Ablation in Achieving Chronic Pulmonary Vein Isolation in a Porcine Model
Circulation, Vol 120, No 18, Supplement 2 November 3, 2009, S706 abstract #2161
Circulation, Vol 120, No 18, Supplement 2 November 3, 2009, S706 abstract #2161


Does Visually-Guided Placement of Contiguous Ablation Lesions Result in Reliable and Persistent Pulmonary Vein Isolation?
Circulation, Vol 120, No 18, Supplement 2 November 3, 2009, S706 abstract #2162
Circulation, Vol 120, No 18, Supplement 2 November 3, 2009, S706 abstract #2162


Use of An Endoscopic Laser Balloon for Epicardial Mapping and Ablation in a Swine Model
Circulation, Vol 120, No 18, Supplement 2 November 3, 2009, S706 abstract #2163
Circulation, Vol 120, No 18, Supplement 2 November 3, 2009, S706 abstract #2163


CardioFocus gets CE mark for its Endoscopic Ablation System
Medical Device Daily, Vol 113, No 130, July 9, 2009, pp 1,8
Medical Device Daily, Vol 113, No 130, July 9, 2009, pp 1,8


Visually-Guided Balloon Catheter Ablation of Atrial Fibrillation: Experimental Feasibility and First-in-Human Multicenter Clinical Outcome
Circulation, Vol 120, No 12, June 22, 2009, pp 12-20
Circulation, Vol 120, No 12, June 22, 2009, pp 12-20


Balloon catheter ablation to treat paroxysmal atrial fibrillation: What is the level of pulmonary venous isolation?
Heart Rhythm, Vol 5, No 3, March 2008, pp 353-360
Heart Rhythm, Vol 5, No 3, March 2008, pp 353-360

Visually-Guided Pulmonary Vein Isolation Using a Balloon Ablation Catheter to Treat Patients with Paroxysmal Atrial Fibrillation: One-Year Clincial Outcome Following a Single Ablation Procedure
Circulation, Supplement II, Vol 116, No 16 October 16, 2007, 2440 pp II-536
Circulation, Supplement II, Vol 116, No 16 October 16, 2007, 2440 pp II-536


Long-Term Single-Procedure Results with an Endoscopic Laser Balloon Ablation Catheter for the Treatment of Patients with Paroxysmal Atrial Fibrillation
Presented at the 12th Annual Boston Symposium: Atrial Fibrillation � Mechanisms and New Directions in Therapy, January 11-13, 2007
Presented at the 12th Annual Boston Symposium: Atrial Fibrillation � Mechanisms and New Directions in Therapy, January 11-13, 2007


Long-Term Follow-up of Patients with Drug-Refractory Atrial Fibrillation Treated with a Percutanous Endoscopic Laser Balloon Ablation System
Heart Rhythm, Vol 3, No 5, May Supplement 2006 S90, AB44-1
Heart Rhythm, Vol 3, No 5, May Supplement 2006 S90, AB44-1

Successful PV Isolation of a Left Atrial Roof and Two Common PVs Using a Visually-Guided Laser Balloon Ablation Catheter
Heart Rhythm, Vol 7, No. 5, S-331, May 2010
Heart Rhythm, Vol 7, No. 5, S-331, May 2010

Pulmonary Vein Isolation Using the Novel Endoscopic Ablation System
Heart Rhythm, Vol 7, No. 5, S-104, May 2010
Heart Rhythm, Vol 7, No. 5, S-104, May 2010

Incidence of Esophageal Thermal Lesions After Pulmonary Vein Isolation Using the Novel Endoscopic Ablation System
Heart Rhythm, Vol 7, No. 5, S-149, May 2010
Heart Rhythm, Vol 7, No. 5, S-149, May 2010

First clinical experience with a novel, variable radius, endoscopic laser balloon for pulmonary vein isolation of atrial fibrillation.
Europace 2009: Abstract 41229
Europace 2009: Abstract 41229


Atrial fibrillation: progress, but many unresolved issues
Medical Device Daily, Vol. 13, No. 95, May 19, 2009, pp 1-2
Medical Device Daily, Vol. 13, No. 95, May 19, 2009, pp 1-2


Anatomic Location of Pulmonary Vein Electrical Disconnection with Balloon-Based Catheter Ablation
Jounal of Cardiovascular Electrophysiology, Vol. 19, No. 1, January 2008, pp 14 - 18
Jounal of Cardiovascular Electrophysiology, Vol. 19, No. 1, January 2008, pp 14 - 18

Where is the Location of Ablation Lesions Delivered via Balloon-based Cryo-, Laser- or Focused Ultrasound Ablation Catheters
Heart Rhythm Vol. 4, No.5, S308, May Supplement 2007
Heart Rhythm Vol. 4, No.5, S308, May Supplement 2007

Long-Term Single-Procedure Clinical Results with an Endoscopic Balloon Ablation Catheter for Pulmonary Vein Isolation in Patients with Atrial Fibrillation
AHA-2006 CardioFocus
AHA-2006 CardioFocus


Safety of Laser Application Through Blood Using an Endoscopic Laser Balloon Catheter
Heart Rhythm, Vol 3, No 5, May Supplement 2006 S284, P5-72
Heart Rhythm, Vol 3, No 5, May Supplement 2006 S284, P5-72


Endoscopic fiberoptic assessment of balloon occlusion of the pulmonary vein ostium in humans: Comparison with phased-array intracardiac echocardiography. Heart Rhythm. 2006 Jan;3(1):44-49.
Heart Rhythm. 2006 Jan;3(1):44-49.
Heart Rhythm. 2006 Jan;3(1):44-49.


Endoscopic fiberoptic balloon catheter: A new step in imaging-guided anatomically based catheter ablation for atrial fibrillation?
Heart Rhythm. 2006 Jan;3(1):50-1.
Heart Rhythm. 2006 Jan;3(1):50-1.

Initial Clinical Experience with a Balloon Laser Ablation Catheter for Pulmonary Vein Isolation in Patients with Atrial Fibrillation
Circulation, Supplement II, Vol 112, No 17 October 25, 2005, 2358 pp II-491
Circulation, Supplement II, Vol 112, No 17 October 25, 2005, 2358 pp II-491

Pre-clinical canine testing of endoscopy to guide laser applications for pulmonary vein isolation.
Heart Rhythm. 2005 May;2(1):S89.
Heart Rhythm. 2005 May;2(1):S89.
