FocusStart

Startup Developing Device to Reduce Threat of Stroke in Heart Procedures

LogoFocusStart LLC, a Minneapolis based developer of medical devices, revealed results of a pre-clinical study investigating the use of their technology to reduce the risk of stroke in patients undergoing radiofrequency (RF) ablation catheter procedures. In a peer-reviewed paper published online May 2 2018 by the Journal of the American College of Cardiology (JACC), FocusStart personnel, aided by Mayo Clinic electrophysiologists, showed that by adding a small negative charge to the electrode tips of RF catheters, it is possible to prevent the formation of coagulum, and thus reduce the risk of thromboembolic events such as transient ischemic attacks (TIAs) and stroke.