Cardiovascular 5: Cardiac Ablative Therapies
Wednesday, April 11, 11:00-12:30, Ballroom C, University Hotel Minneapolis

Organizers: John Bischof, PhD, Mechanical Engineering, University of Minnesota; Paul A. Iaizzo, PhD, Professor, Conference Co-Chair, Surgery Department, Associate Director for IEM, University of Minnesota

"Ablative Cardiac Therapies in the Clinic (UM experience)"
Lin Yee Chen, MD, Cardiac Arrhythmia Center, University of Minnesota Medical School

"Cryoablation devices description and review for the treatment of heart arrhythmia"
Jean-Pierre Lalonde, Principal R+D Engineer, Medtronic CryoCath LP

"Ablative Therapy Device Testing at the Cellular and Tissue Level"
John Bischof, PhD, Mechanical Engineering, University of Minnesota

"Ablative Therapy Device Testing in the Visible Heart Model"
Paul A. Iaizzo, PhD, Department of Surgery, University of Minnesota

Session Abstract:

An increasing number of thermal "ablative" or destructive therapies are being used for treatment of atrial fibrillation and peripheral arterial disease. This session will introduce these devices, show two unique testing environments at the cellular/tissue and beating heart level for their characterization and testing. Finally, our clinical speaker will review the clinical data with these devices here at UM.

Session Organizer Bios:

John Bischof, PhD, Mechanical Engineering, University of Minnesota
John Bischof is a Distinguished McKnight University Professor at the University of Minnesota in the Departments of Mechanical and Biomedical Engineering. He has degrees from the University of California and a post-doctoral fellowship from Harvard. He has been on the faculty at Minnesota since 1993. He has numerous publications, awards and patents for his work in bioheat and mass transfer.

Paul A. Iaizzo, PhD, Professor, Conference Co-Chair, Surgery Department, Associate Director for IEM, University of Minnesota
Dr. Paul Iaizzo joined the University of Minnesota in 1990, and is currently a Professor of Surgery, Integrative Biology and Physiology, and the Carlson School of Management. He teaches in numerous courses and is on the graduate faculties in Biomedical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Physiology, and Neuroscience. His main research focus is translational systems physiology, and his research group has developed a unique isolated working large mammalian heart model: see http://www.vhlab.umn.edu/atlas/. Other research interests include cardiac pacing, skeletal muscle pathophysiology (malignant hyperthermia), thermoregulation, black bear hibernation, wound healing, and spine biomechanics. In 2002, Paul Iaizzo
was awarded as a Distinguished University Teaching Professor for graduate studies. He is also the Director for Education of the Lillehei Heart Institute and an Associate Director of the Institute for Engineering in Medicine.

Speaker Bios:

Lin Yee Chen, MD, Cardiac Arrhythmia Center, University of Minnesota Medical School
Dr. Lin Yee Chen graduated in 1997 with MB, BS with Honors from the National University of Singapore. He went on to complete medical residency (1999-2002), cardiovascular fellowship (2002-2005), and cardiac electrophysiology fellowship (2005-2006) at the Mayo Clinic College of Medicine in Rochester, Minnesota. Thereafter, he joined the faculty at the National University of Singapore before joining the University of Minnesota at the end of 2008. Dr. Chen is currently Assistant Professor of Medicine and cardiac electrophysiologist at theUniversity of Minnesota in Minneapolis. He is a Fellow of the American College of Cardiology. Dr. Chen’s research interests include elucidating the determinants and impact of atrial fibrillation and sudden cardiac death. He is a recipient of a Scientist Development Grant from the American Heart Association to investigate gene-gene and gene-environment interactions in atrial fibrillation.

Jean-Pierre Lalonde, Principal R+D Engineer, Medtronic CryoCath LP
Jean-Pierre Lalonde is a Mechanical Engineer graduate from Ecole Polytechnique of Montreal. He is a Research and Development pioneer with 16 years of experience in the design of cryoablation catheters and has participated as an inventor in over 30 patents.

Presentation Abstracts:

"Ablative Cardiac Therapies in the Clinic (UM experience)"
The purpose of this talk is to provide a general overview of the role of catheter ablation in the management of heart rhythm disorders. The discussion will focus on the indications, outcomes, and complications associated with catheter ablation of atrial fibrillation.

"Cryoablation devices description and review for the treatment of heart arrhythmia"
The purpose of this presentation is to provide an overview of cryoablation devices which are available today for heart arrhythmias treatment. Also addressed are device capabilities and limitations, and more specifically for the treatment of Atrial fibrillation what is known and what remains to be understood.

"Ablative Therapy Device Testing at the Cellular and Tissue Level"
There are an increasing number of thermal approaches to managements of heart and peripheral artery disease. This talk will explore the current understanding of high and low temperature heat transfer and injury modeling to control destruction of cardiovascular cells and tissues. The targets include heart wall, pulmonary veins and peripheral arteries. 

"Ablative Therapy Device Testing in the Visible Heart Model"
Focal and balloon cryoablation devices are relatively new and have touted benefits over the current gold standard of radiofrequecy ablation (RF). One such benefit is the adherence of the device to the tissue which aids to maintain a stable therapeutic location. Futher, cryoablation has also been reported to be less traumatic to endothelial tissue and also avoids the dangers of popping or charring when compared to the applications of RF energies. The ability of direct visualization within reanimated hearts has provided for novel insight as to these aforementioned benefits. To obtain such images, both swine and human hearts were reanimated using Visible Heart® methodologies. Videoscopes were placed in the right and left atria to capture the procedures of transseptal puncture and focal and balloon cryoablation: it was also possible to simultaneously employ echocardiography and/or fluoroscopy. The obtained and analyzed videos confirmed suggested advantages of the cryoablation as reported in the literature. These devices strongly adhered to the myocardium during application of the cryo, as demonstrated by a pull tests. Subsequently, the ablated tissues (cryo or RF) appeared pale immediately after these therapies were applied. Obtained images/data may provide invaluable insights as to better understand the specifics of the device-tissue interfaces and thus such may be of benefit for both device designer and clinicians employing these therapies.

Related Sessions:

Cardiovascular 1 Cardiac Keynote Presentations
Cardiovascular 2 Pre-Clinical Testing of Novel Cardiovascular Devices
Cardiovascular 3 Cardiovascular Modeling
Cardiovascular 4 Cardiac Electrophysiology and Mapping
Cardiovascular 6 Cardiac Devices in the Pediatric Population