Barts Health cardiologists have shown that a new freezing technique to treat patients with irregular heartbeats is quicker and more effective than conventional therapy.
The condition, atrial fibrillation (AF), affects the upper two chambers of the heart causing a fast and irregular heartbeat. This can cause symptoms such as palpitations, dizziness, angina and breathlessness. Patients also have an increased risk of stroke because of the blood clots which can form as a result of irregular blood flow through the heart’s chambers. Instead of burning away the tiny sections of heart tissue that may be triggering the irregular heartbeat, doctors at Barts Health are using a revolutionary freezing technique. Via a blood vessel in the patient’s leg, cardiologists thread a device called a cryoballoon - a long wire with a balloon attached to the end – into the vein in the heart which is causing the problem.Once in position, the surgeon activates the balloon to freeze a perfect circle of tissue inside the vein, causing a cylindrical scar.
