RHYTHM AI announces World’s first STAR ApolloTM Mapping System Cases with Pulsed Field Ablation
London, 12th March 2024: RHYTHM AI Ltd, a UK company focused on optimising Atrial Fibrillation (AF) procedures, today announces that its lead product, the STAR ApolloTM Mapping System, was used in the world’s first cases that combine the application the STAR Apollo Mapping System with Pulsed Field Ablation (PFA).
The cases were peformed by Dr Devi G Nair MD, Director of Cardiac Electrophysiology at St. Bernards Medical Center, Jonesboro, Arkansas on 2 patients both diagnosed with Persistent Atrial Fibrillation.
The STAR Apollo Mapping system is US FDA 510k cleared technology that collects data from standard 3D Cardiac Mapping systems and uses advanced AI-driven algorithms based on fundamental electrophysiological principles to show repeating patterns within the arrythmia and identify regions of the heart that are potential drivers of AF. This allows the physician to create a customized treatment plan for each specific patient.
Pulsed field ablation (PFA) is a fast advancing technology in the interventional treatment of cardiac arrhythmias that utilizes the phenomenon of irreversible electroporation as a non-thermal energy source
The STAR Apollo Mapping System can be used with PFA or traditional radiofrequency energy delivery systems in patients with either paroxysmal or persistent AF.
Dr Devi Nair MD, Director of Cardiac Electrophysiology at St. Bernards Medical Center, Jonesboro, Arkansas, commented: “STAR Apollo mapping allowed me to specifically target the PFA to relevant areas of AF in these tricky-to-treat patients, rather than having to rely on extensive empirical ablation. The logic of this approach was demonstrated by the termination of arrhythmias in both cases”
Simon Hubbert, Chief Executive Officer of RHYTHM AI Ltd, commented: "We are very encouraged by Dr Nair’s feedback on the combination of our STAR Apollo Mapping System with the emerging PFA technology and delighted to learn that with minimal ablation, terminaton of AF was achieved in both patients during the procedure”
About Atrial Fibrillation
Atrial Fibrillation (AF) is the commonest abnormal heart rhythm seen in clinical practice in which irregular electrical signals wander chaotically throughout the upper chambers (Atria) of the heart. AF affects an estimated 1.5 million in the UK and 4 to 6 million in the USA alone. The prevalence of AF has been projected to increase to 15.9 million by the year 2050.
AF is associated with significant clinical morbidity and is also an independent risk factor for mortality. Thromboembolic stroke is the most serious and debilitating of all the complications of AF. AF is also known to precipitate and worsen the outcomes of congestive heart failure.
Treatment of AF, and its associated complications, increases the use of healthcare resources and contributes to the ever-growing costs of healthcare, particularly costs associated with hospitalizations.
