AtriCure,
Inc. (Nasdaq:
ATRC), a leading innovator in technologies for the surgical
treatment of atrial fibrillation (Afib) and left atrial appendage
management, today announced that it has launched the availability of its
cryoICE cryo ablation probe (CRYO2) to provide cryoanalgesia for
temporary pain management. AtriCure’s cryoICE is the first FDA cleared
cryo ablation probe for the treatment of cardiac arrhythmias and for the
temporary ablation of peripheral nerves to block pain.
Cryoanalgesia is a method of temporarily relieving pain by cryo ablating
the affected nerve, causing an interruption of pain impulses to the
brain. For cardiac and thoracic surgery patients, the pain impulses are
blocked by ablating the intercostal nerve bundle(s), thereby alleviating
the pain associated with a thoracotomy incision. When applied
appropriately, cryoanalgesia can relieve pain for several days and in
some cases weeks.
“The expanded indication provides patients and physicians with options
to manage the pain associated with a thoracotomy.” said Mike Carrel,
president and chief executive officer of AtriCure. “Broadening the
cryoICE indication displays AtriCure’s commitment to collaborating with
surgeons on new solutions to deliver improved patient care.”
AtriCure has a portfolio of products that include radio frequency and
cryo ablation devices that are used during cardiac surgery. AtriCure’s
cryoICE cryo ablation system has been indicated to freeze target tissue
for the treatment of cardiac arrhythmias. The recently expanded
indication for the cryoICE probe “for use in blocking pain by
temporarily ablating peripheral nerves” provides surgeons with an
additional option to treat post-thoracotomy pain.
“The pain management options available today are not optimal,” stated
Dr. Andrea Trescot, past president of the American Society of
Interventional Pain Physicians. “Cryoanalgesia has been studied for many
years, and has been shown to successfully block pain with no long term
neural effects.”
Currently, surgeons use epidurals, intercostal nerve blocks and
prescription narcotics for pain management. Studies have suggested that
cryoanalgesia is a useful method for both short- and long-term relief
from pain related to thoracotomy access.1 It is estimated
that more than 25,000 cardiac and thoracic surgeries are performed in
the US every year using a thoracotomy approach.2
“I have used cryoanalgesia as an adjunct to conventional pain relief
techniques in nearly 75 cases of mitral valve surgeries via
mini-thoracotomies,” stated Dr. Francis Shannon, cardiothoracic surgeon,
Beaumont Health System. “I have been very impressed with the reduction
in respiratory complications after surgery as well as narcotic
requirements for chest pain.”
More information can be found at www.AtriCure.com.
About AtriCure
AtriCure, Inc. is a medical device company providing innovative atrial
fibrillation (Afib) solutions designed to produce superior outcomes that
reduce the economic and social burden of atrial fibrillation. AtriCure’s
Synergy™ Ablation System is the first and only surgical device approved
for the treatment of persistent and longstanding persistent forms of
Afib in patients undergoing certain open concomitant procedures.
AtriCure’s AtriClip left atrial appendage management (LAAM) exclusion
device is the most widely sold device worldwide that’s indicated for the
occlusion of the left atrial appendage. The company believes
cardiothoracic surgeons are adopting its ablation and LAAM devices for
the treatment of Afib and reduction of Afib related complications such
as stroke. Afib affects more than 33 million people worldwide.3 For
more information visit AtriCure.com
or follow us on Twitter @AtriCure.
1 Moorjani N, Zhao F, Tian Y, Liang C, Kaluba J, Maiwand O. “Effects of
cryoanalgesia on post-thoracotomy pain and on the structure intercostal
nerves: a human prospective randomized trial and a histological study.”
Eur J Cardiothoracic Surg. 2001 Sep; 20 (3): 502-7.
2 STS Adult
Cardiac Surgery Database, 3rd Harvest 2014. STS General
Thoracic Surgery Database, Fall Harvest 2014.
3 Chugh
SS, Havmoeller
R, Narayanan
K, Singh
D, Rienstra
M, et al., “Worldwide epidemiology of atrial fibrillation: a Global
Burden of Disease 2010 Study.” Circulation.
2014 Feb 25; 129 (8):837-47.
Copyright Business Wire 2015