How the Watson-Marlow pump is key to the cardiac ablation system

Medical device manufacturers Livetec Ingenieurbureo and OSYPKA are using the 400RXMD peristaltic pump from Watson-Marlow Fluid Technology Solutions (WMFTS) as part of a cardiac ablation system for its reliability and ease of operation.

The OEM pump is specifically designed for surgical ablation systems with simple integration (which minimizes the time and cost associated with extended installation), low noise levels, and precise control. The 400RXMD is available with DriveSure which integrates the motor, mounting and supports Industrial Ethernet as well as analog protocols.

Livetec’s products include temporary cardiac pacemakers, wireless long-term electrocardiogram (ECG) Holter systems, low-level laser devices or long-term ECGs for heart attack and stroke prevention. The Lorach, Germany-based company’s medical technology products are sold either directly under its own brand name Livetec or as white labels under the brands of several established manufacturers. Sometimes it is both, as in the case of the RF LiveGen generator for high-frequency catheter ablation, available on the market under its own brand and as the HAT500 RF ablation system from OSYPKA, a pioneer and manufacturer of RF (radiofrequency) ablation. Is. Reliable, high quality medical equipment.

“This system, a Class IIb medical device, makes use of our development experience and the extensive application experience of OSYPKA,” explains Michael Shirmeyer, Managing Director of LiveTech.

Radiofrequency catheter ablation can be used directly on the heart to efficiently treat cardiac arrhythmias (irregular heartbeat). During treatment, radiofrequency energy (500 kHz) is transmitted to the treatment site through a catheter inserted through a vein under X-ray control.

The ablation system developed by Livatec and OSYPKA includes an RF generator, a remote-control unit, and an irrigation pump to flush and cool the catheter during cooled ablation procedures. Together, they form a comprehensive system for almost all vashikaran applications on the human heart. In cooled ablation applications, an irrigation pump delivers saline solution to the electrode at the tip of the catheter for improved treatment results. The solution is drawn out through small irrigation holes in the catheter tip.

Livetec’s RF LiveCool (1-60 mL/min), is a low noise irrigation pump for use with a high frequency ablation generator to perform cold radiofrequency ablation therapy on the human heart. The RF LiveCool works with the RF LiveGen generator to control flush flow based on RF energy output.

The irrigation pump, usually mounted directly to the infusion stand, delivers saline solution from an infusion bag or bottle to the tip of the catheter. It has a clear user interface with high-resolution color touch display for easy operation without long training time. As it is absolutely critical that no air enters the bloodstream during treatment, the irrigation pump provides permanent detection of air bubbles from 2 µl with automatic stop as well as critical permanent monitoring and display of pressure and flow rate . The 400RXMD used in the irrigation pump draws saline solution from the infusion bag and delivers it through a thin tube to the catheter.

“The ablation treatment usually takes several hours and the pump must continuously deliver the saline solution during this time, so absolute reliability of all components is of course essential,” said Shirmeyer.

During the treatment, any malfunction will cause the treatment to be stopped.

“The pump should be easy to operate. However, above all, it has to overcome the high back pressure caused by very narrow catheter channels with very small diameters (lumens) in the micrometer range. Despite the high back pressure, it should be possible to control the flow rate absolutely precisely at any given time, so that the precise volume flow required for the respective treatment step can be achieved. The peristaltic pump is one of the central components of the system and must provide absolute reliability over many years and many treatments.

The 400RXMD OEM pump provides flow rates of up to 500 mL/min and pressures of up to 9 bar, so it can handle the high back pressures present in ablation applications.

Schirmeier said: “During operation, the pump has to deliver three different flows. Most challenging is certainly the flush flow at the beginning of the treatment, which ensures that there is no more air in the tubes. Depending on the catheter, the pump should operate up to 80 mL/min when the catheter is connected to the tubing-set. This results in high pressure of up to 5 bar being forced through narrow catheter channels or irrigation holes. But the pump is easily able to overcome the back pressure without exceeding the pressure limit that could damage the catheter.

“None of the other pumps we tested could provide a similar delivery rate and were not as good in terms of mechanical compatibility as the Watson-Marlow 400RXMD. The pump and drive can be easily installed into an overall system of irrigation pumps.

The 400RXMD is designed to meet the needs of catheter, cannula or needle cooling applications and reduce the risk of human error. Hose clamps in the pumphead ensure that the tubing is automatically positioned correctly each time the pumphead cover is closed.

Depending on the application requirements, the 400RXMD can be customized as per the application requirements. For example, the 400RXMD used as part of an irrigation pump system has five rollers. According to LiveTech, this slows down beats, reduces noise and reduces the risk of electrically induced interference on intracardiac ECGs transmitted through the catheter (“ECG noise”).

Schirmeier said: “LiveTek and OSYPKA’s ablation systems have been on the market for more than five years, with several hundred devices in use in total. So far there has been no complaint of wear due to the pump. All is still working smoothly.”