A new way to block the abnormal electrical pathways that cause atrial flutter, the IBI Therapy Dual 8 Ablation Catheter and IBI 1500T6 Generator by Irvine Biomedical, Inc. obtained FDA clearance in December.
The catheter is placed into a vein near the groin and threaded through the vein into the chambers of the heart. The catheter end outside the body is connected to the electrical system that allows the physician to view the beating heart on a screen. By watching the screen, the doctor can place the catheter in exactly the correct spot to treat the abnormal heartbeats. Once the catheter is in place, the doctor turns on the energy from the generator to heat the tip of the catheter, ablating a small part of the heart that causes atrial flutter. The procedure has been shown to cure atrial flutter in approximately 93 percent of patients, but should not be used in patients who have an infection in the blood or a tumor or blood clot inside the heart.
October 30, 2024 
