Methods and system of temperature based alarms and/or automatic interrupt (shut-off) in fluoroscopy (medical images) based mapping system for cryoballoon ablations or radiofrequency (rf) ablations for atrial fibrillation

Abstract

A method and system for increasing safety of cardiac ablation procedures comprises a computer based system that monitors the esophageal temperature, and a fluoroscopy (medical images) based cardiac mapping system for cryoballoon or radiofrequency (RF) ablations. The esophageal temperature is monitored utilizing an esophageal probe which may have any number of temperature sensing members. The esophageal probe may also have pre-formed shape. During atrial fibrillation ablations, based on a pre-determined increase in esophageal temperature (from any thermistor), the computer based system activates different levels of alarm(s), and/or initiates ablation energy interrupt based on pre-defined programmed values. The method and system is also used for guiding placement of cryoballoon and performing cryoablations. The placement of cryoballoon catheter or a circular catheter is based on superimposing a high resolution (dye injected) image and a live fluoroscopy image and adjusting transparency between the two images.