MARKHAM, ON – Updated - June 3, 2022 - Five hospitals in Canada have been recognized by Biosense Webster for their efforts to reduce patient and medical staff exposure to harmful fluoroscopy radiation, an x-ray imaging technique normally used to guide the placement of catheters in cardiac electrophysiology procedures. Fluoroscopy is commonly used in procedures to treat atrial fibrillation (AF), atrial flutter, tachycardia and other arrythmias.
Hamilton General Hospital, Ottawa Heart Institute, Regina General Hospital and Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre and St. Mary’s General Hospital are the first to be recognized as a Biosense Webster Centre of Excellence in Fluoroscopy Reduction, for completing 100 or more procedures with the CARTO®3 System and with an average of 30 seconds or less of fluoroscopy. Several additional health centres are also working to qualify for this recognition.
“Biosense Webster technologies and training has helped us to achieve our goal of reduction of radiation exposure to myself, my staff and my patients by enabling us to safely and efficiently evolve our practice to almost zero fluoroscopy,” says Dr. Omar Sultan, Staff Electrophysiologist, Regina General Hospital.
To limit the negative effects of fluoroscopy, Biosense Webster has created a low fluoroscopy workflow training program, using its SOUNDSTAR® ultrasound catheter in combination with the CARTOSOUND® software module. The SOUNDSTAR® Ultrasound Catheter integrates the use of intracardiac echocardiography (ICE) technology with 3D cardiac mapping, to deliver real-time visualization and navigation of cardiac structures during cardiac electrophysiology procedures.
“It’s definitely changed my practice for the better,” says Dr. Mouhannad Sadek, Staff Electrophysiologist, Ottawa Heart Institute. “The procedure is also more efficient as we can skip unnecessary steps.”
Biosense Webster continues to support hospitals around the country in their radiation reduction journeys by sharing techniques to utilize an optimized low-fluoro workflow and now almost 30 electrophysiologists around Canada have adopted this new procedural workflow.
Biosense Webster, part of the of the Johnson & Johnson Family of Companies, is a leader in the science of diagnosing and cardiac arrhythmia treatment. To qualify as a Biosense Webster Centre of Excellence in Fluoroscopy Reduction, centers need to complete their 100 or more reduced fluoroscopy electrophysiology procedures including Atrial Fibrillation, Atrial Flutter, Atrial Tachycardia, Ventricular Tachycardia or Supraventricular Tachycardia – with at least half of the cases being Atrial Fibrillation or left sided Atrial Tachycardia/Flutter. Lastly, the cases must be completed using a CARTO® 3 Mapping System and SOUNDSTAR® technology (SVTs exempt from SOUNDSTAR® Usage).