Robotic Catheter to Treat Cardiac Condition in Development

Robotic catheter (North Carolina State University)

Researchers from North Carolina State University (NC State) in Raleigh are developing a computerized catheter designed to make the surgical treatment of atrial fibrillation faster, cheaper, and more effective.  The device can also decrease a patient’s radiation exposure related to the treatment.

Atrial fibrillation occurs when random electrical activity occurs in the upper chambers of the heart, the atria, which causes the heart to operate less efficiently, and can lead to lightheadedness and fatigue. It can also lead to blood pooling in the heart, which contributes to blood clots and increased risk of stroke.

In current methods, doctors employ a cardiac ablation technique that reduces fibrillation by inserting a manually controlled catheter into the heart and then using extreme heat or cold to create small scars  through the walls of the affected atria. These scars block the problematic electrical signals. Throughout this procedure, doctors use X-rays to track the tip of the catheter, thus exposing the patient and medical personnel to radiation.

The robotic catheter developed at NC State reduces operating times and exposure to X-rays with adaptive materials that respond precisely to electric currents and thus provide better maneuverability. The adaptive materials act as internal muscles, contracting when an electric current is applied. This allows the catheter to bend left, right, up, down or any combination of those directions. Doctors can use a specialized joystick to locate key points on the atrium. A computer program can then trace a curve along those points -– essentially connecting the dots –- creating a solid line of scar tissue that will block the electric signals causing fibrillation.

The researchers received a Phase 2 Small Business Innovation Research grant from the National Institutes of Health in August to take their robotic catheter prototype from the lab and put it into the hands of doctors. The $1.1 million grant will fund two years of development and surgical testing. Approximately half of these funds will go to NC State, while the remainder will go to Southeast TechInventures, which will help bring the technology to the marketplace.