Technology to resolve cardiac arrhythmias

Andreu M. Climent

Fundación para la Investigación Biomédica del Hospital Gregorio Marañón, Spain

Research
Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common type of cardiac arrhythmia. Treatment efficacy depends on the mechanism causing the arrhythmia, which can be identified by mapping the regions causing the cardiac episode. Cardiac mapping is also crucial for successful catheter ablation, which is the usual treatment. Existing techniques for cardiac mapping are complex and expensive.

Aim
To implement an innovative non-invasive technology to map cardiac arrhythmias that could make it easier to select the best treatment for AF and increase its efficacy.

Problem to Solve
It is estimated that one million people in Spain suffer from AF, and it is forecasted that by 2050, 140 million people (2% of the world population) will be affected by this condition due to increased life expectancy. Ablation procedures have shown to be a highly effective treatment, but their efficacy is strongly dependant on the correct identification of the mechanisms causing AF. Existing solutions to diagnose the disease have certain limitations, due to their price and their complexity, as they are invasive treatments.

Innovation
CORIFY consists of a high-density group of electrodes and an innovative image processing technology that resolves the main shortcomings of existing solutions. It allows cardiac mapping in a non-invasive way, making AF diagnosis simpler and cheaper. Additionally, it can increase the efficiency of catheter ablation procedures by providing real-time data on electrical activity around the torso.

Level of Innovation
Cheaper than existing solutions, the technology behind CORIFY has been developed and patented, and has been successfully tested on animal models in the lab.