Microwaving the heart may soon become a routine procedure for the treatment of heart rhythm disorders

May 18 2004

The new device will selectively ‘cook’ areas of the human heart at 55°C. The procedure, which takes just a few seconds, produces a lesion that blocks abnormal electrical signals. ‘This is exactly the same as the way a microwave oven heats meat . . . the difference is that the microwave exposure area is controlled much more strictly and localised heating is ensured and monitored,’ said Hank Chiu at the University of Technology, Sydney who are developing the practice.

Destroying (ablating) damaged tissue is a common method of treating rapid irregular heartbeat. Microwaves have been used before, but generally only in combination with other surgical procedures. Chiu hopes new technology will be used routinely as a stand-alone technology. ‘We believe that microwave ablation will become as routine as radio frequency ablation,’ he said.

Radio frequency waves produce shallow lesions, and temperatures can be very high, which can cause blood clots, leading to other complications such as stroke. Microwaves produce deeper lesions and are easier to control and pinpoint for maximum effectiveness. ‘Microwaves could be made available to a wider spectrum of patients instead of only the physically fit who can endure open heart surgery,’ said Chui.

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