Medtronic, Inc. announced the U.S. commercial release of two electrophysiology catheters, the Medtronic EnCirclr AL Adjustable Loop Mapping Catheter and the Medtronic RF Enhancr II Single-Curve Ablation Catheter. The company recently received U.S. Food and Drug Administration clearance for both devices.

The EnCirclr AL mapping catheter provides an innovative design to identify pathways causing atrial fibrillation. The RF Enhancr II ablation catheter with a new ergonomic handle delivers radio frequency energy to treat various heart rhythm abnormalities. Both products represent advancements in detecting and treating cardiac rhythm problems caused by heart muscle cells that conduct errant electrical signals. More than 200,000 such procedures are performed worldwide each year.

“These catheters are welcome additions to the toolkit of the electrophysiologist,” said Jeffrey Olgin, M.D., chief of cardiac electrophysiology at the University of California, San Francisco. “The new technology found in these products will complement the physician’s skill in delivering the curative therapies of radio frequency ablation.”

The EnCirclr AL device, used prior to an ablation procedure, offers a unique distal leader with an adjustable loop diameter that can be adjusted from outside the body to help access the most difficult-to-reach atrial anatomy. Ten electrodes on the loop identify and establish the locations of problematic cells in or around the heart. The Encirclr AL catheter also can record intracardiac electrograms and provide intracardiac simulation.

The RF Enhancer II catheter’s new ergonomically designed handle reduces hand fatigue and facilitates one-handed operation as it provides high maneuverability and steerability to reach ablation sites. Its curve tension is adjustable for optimal stability in a wide range of cardiac ablation procedures to treat the shortness of breath, dizziness, fatigue, etc., associated with heart rhythm problems.

Both new products join the Medtronic catheter product line designed for use with the Medtronic LocaLisa IntraCardiac Navigation System. This unique system provides a three-dimensional view to build a map of the heart’s chambers. Physicians may use the LocaLisa system to navigate both ablation and diagnostic catheters inside the heart.