They are doing another "trial" under the FDA of cryogenic ablation in March. I have an appointment with Dr. Christopher Cole in Colorado Springs, CO, February 2nd for evaluation for the trial, and have been tentatively placed on the list as a trial participant.

It involves placing a catheter in the pulmonary vein and freezing the offending tissue causing the fibrillation. The great advantages of the cryogenic technique are that,

1. rather than freeze the tissue, they can cool it to see the effect on your fibrillation from each area they cool before finally freezing the tissue. The cooling is totaly reversible; and

2. the catheter will stay exactly in place where they want it because of the freezing

3. it causes almost no scarring, which is a major problem with the older radiofrequency (heat) methodology. The scarring can lead to blood clotting with potential strokes.

Dr. Cole was formerly with the renowned Cleveland Clinic, and was one of three MD's in the US to conduct the original Cryo study this last year.