Magnetecs, a designer and manufacturer of robotic systems for minimally invasive surgical procedures, has started human studies using the company’s Catheter Guidance Control and Imaging (CGCI) system for patients with arrhythmia, or irregular heart beat.
Magnetecs said that the initial study will consist of 20 patients in which a highly detailed map of the heart will be created using the CGCI system’s magnetically guided catheter.
The mapping study is expected to be completed by the end of 2010, and will be followed by a study of 40 patients in which mapping and ablation procedures will be conducted using the CGCI system.
The second study is expected to be completed in the second quarter of 2011.
Magnetecs CEO Josh Shachar said that the start of human studies marks the culmination of many years of hard work for the team at Magnetecs and the commencement of activities to apply their magnetic guidance technology in the service of medicine.