A truly minimally invasive approach that
combines the best of electrophysiology (EP)
and cardiac surgery treatments to help restore
normal heart rhythm for all Afib sufferers,
including patients with structural heart disease
who may have previously failed one or more
other treatments.
Which patients are not candidates
for The Convergent Procedure?
Patients who have had previous open chest
surgical ablation procedures are not
eligible for The Convergent Procedure.
Please consult your physician to
explore your treatment options.
How is the procedure performed?
The procedure uses radiofrequency (extreme
heat) to produce lesions (scar tissue) on the
heart to block abnormal electrical signals.
During the procedure, a cardiac surgeon and
an EP work as a team, in a single setting.
The surgeon is able to create a comprehensive,
linear lesion pattern on the outside surface of
a beating heart through a small incision (2cm)
made in the patient’s abdomen, instead of
through invasive chest incisions and/or ports,
as in other surgical procedures. The EP then
threads a catheter through the patient’s femoral
artery, in the groin, to reach the heart and fill
in any gaps in the ablation pattern and utilizes
diagnostic techniques to confirm all abnormal
electrical signals have been interrupted.
The entire procedure lasts roughly half the
time of a catheter ablation procedure.
What is recovery like?
Most patients who’ve undergone
The Convergent Procedure experience restored
normal heart rhythm and have been able to
stop taking daily heart rate
and heart rhythm medications
shortly following treatment.
Typical hospital stays have
lasted two to three days and
patients are back to normal
activities quickly.
What is Atrial Fibrillation?
Atrial Fibrillation (Afib) is the most common
heart rhythm disorder, caused by rapid and
disorganized electrical signals that disrupt
blood flow in the upper chamber of the heart
(atria). Patients typically experience shortness
of breath, chest palpitations and fainting.
Afib is also a leading cause of stroke.
Why is Afib difficult to treat?
The majority of Afib patients have structural
heart disease, which is associated with an
enlarged heart and is very challenging to treat
effectively with traditional methods. Many of
these patients have had continuous Afib for
more than one year, may have failed one
or more catheter-based treatments, and
currently take anti-arrhythmic and
anti-coagulant medications.
Which difficult to treat
patients are candidates for The
Convergent Procedure?
Patients living with the disease for
many years
Patients with structural heart disease
Patients with enlarged or growing
left atrium (larger than 4.5cm)
