Abbott this week announced it has launched its TactiFlex SE irrigation catheter in Japan.

TactiFlex SE is a radiofrequency (RF) ablation catheter with a slit tip electrode with contact force technology. The tip of the catheter is flexible and conforms to the shape of the heart’s wall for unique patient anatomies.

The slit structure on the electrode tip of the catheter increases contact resistance and allows the tip to flexibly deform according to the shape of the heart wall. Irrigation flows out from the tip for efficient cooling.

EnSite X, the company’s 3D mapping system, draws a model of the heart, which can then be used to track the direction of the catheter. It is visualized by the ContactForce Arrow and allows a clinician to confirm the electrode tip location before administering treatment.

“The TactiFlex SE provides an effective irrigation flow to the ablation surface with its slit-structured tip electrode. From the point of view of thrombus prevention, we expect that the synergistic effect of the slit structure and contact force technology will enable safer and more efficient treatment,” said Dr. Masahiko Aiya, professor and director of the arrhythmia center at Tokyo Medical and Dental University Hospital.