Dr. Sanjiv M. Narayan helped spearhead medical results that led to a technology acquired by Abbott Laboratories. Currently a Stanford University professor of medicine, Dr. Sanjiv M. Narayan has been at the forefront of research that examines the mechanisms governing persistent atrial fibrillation.Previously, the drivers of persistent atrial fibrillation have not been easily traceable or understood. For a recent clinical trial, the research team operated on the hypothesis that putative AF drivers may have a dynamic synergy with disorganized zones across small time frames. They examined these types of interactions across long periods of time with an emphasis on areas where mapping methods were able to indicate regions of termination via ablation. Among the 55 patients who participated in the study, AF termination points via ablation had organized activation that varied across different time points when interacting with fibrillatory waves and/or organized zones, but showed more consistent recurrence in conserved spatial areas. Researchers concluded these results show that mapping the atrium in each patient undergoing AF ablation may help to understand the interaction between important sites (AF drivers) and hence guide ablation. These tools should be integrated with other AF mapping methods.
A respected presence in atrial fibrillation (AF) research, Dr. Sanjiv M. Narayan guided a technology development startup that was acquired by Abbott Laboratories. Presently a Stanford University professor, Dr. Sanjiv M. Narayan’s research showed that AF could be mapped to show localized sources. Others now supporting this concept include companies and products such as Acutus, CardioNXT, and Cartofinder.Cartofinder software was employed in a study of activation-based mapping techniques used in detecting the presence of AF-linked rotors, or “patient-specific recurrent rotational organized activity.” With Boston Scientific’s Constellation 64-electrode basket catheter employed among patients with AF, Biosense-Webster’s Cartofinder software was used to analyze results offline. In addition, the latter company’s CARTO 3-D electroanatomic mapping system was utilized. The results emphasized the attractiveness, on many levels, of rotor identification (AF RAP) that has been integrated within conventional 3-D mapping systems. This includes immediate accessibility of voltage information in evaluating potential scar or fibrosis areas. It also allows the quick identification of anatomic structures prone to sustain rotors and could potentially enable improved RFA targeting. One conclusion is that further validation testing of the algorithms in use, spanning the full range of AF types, is necessary in ensuring that intracardiac signals are correctly analyzed.
