Delray Medical Center is the first hospital in Florida to use the POLARx™ Cryoablation System, treating a patient diagnosed with paroxysmal atrial fibrillation (AF), an intermittent form of AF that causes an irregular and often abnormally fast heart rate.
The procedure was performed on September 11, 2023, by Luis Mora, MD, in collaboration with Yoel Vivas, MD, electrophysiologists on staff at Delray.
The system is purpose-built to address known challenges with traditional cryoablation platforms, and features the POLARx FIT Cryoablation Balloon Catheter, a unique device that enables two balloon sizes – 28 and 31mm – in one catheter. This capability promotes procedural efficiency, allows physicians to address a wider range of pulmonary vein anatomies, and helps achieve more complete tissue contact to better deliver treatment to areas of the heart where disruptive signals that cause AF originate.
Cryoablation is a minimally invasive procedure for treating AF in which a balloon catheter delivers cryotherapy at the opening of the pulmonary veins, freezing the target tissue and creating small scars to block the irregular electrical signals that cause arrhythmia. During the procedure, a balloon catheter delivers cryotherapy to the pulmonary vein, creating scar tissue to block irregular electrical signals, thereby improving a patient’s chance at living free from atrial fibrillation.
