Physician Performs Missouri First at Saint Francis

Gabe E. Soto, MD, PhD, FACC, FHRS, in coordination with Saint Francis Medical Center, was the first physician in Missouri to qualify for limited market release of the new Safire BLU™ Bi-directional Irrigated Ablation Catheter, an innovative technology that treats cardiac arrhythmia. Soto, a cardiology and electrophysiology specialist with Cardiovascular Consultants of Cape Girardeau, is certified to use this new technology due to his high level of electrophysiology expertise — and performed his first clinical procedure on April 13, 2011. The next closest clinical site where this catheter’s limited release can be found is on the East Coast.

Ablation catheters help treat cardiac arrhythmia, irregular heartbeats that impair the heart’s ability to effectively pump blood throughout the body. The Safire BLU offers added control, including bidirectional deflection, a new shaft with a higher torque response and a lower fluid infusion rate than other ablation systems when treating cardiac arrhythmia. It delivers radiofrequency energy to specific areas of cardiac tissue to create lesions that interrupt the abnormal electrical signals that cause irregular heart rhythms. Because the amount of energy required to create an effective cardiac lesion must be balanced against tissue temperature, the Safire BLU catheter’s irrigated tips help reduce many of the risks associated with radiofrequency energy’s heat.

The Safire BLU catheter also features a bidirectional deflection capability to allow physicians to reach challenging anatomic locations during ablation procedures — turning up to 180 degrees in both directions. This flexibility promotes efficiency, increases control over ablation therapy delivery and creates better patient outcomes.

“The improved handling and control of this new bidirectional catheter will help me access hard-to-reach places. This precision allows for more predictable, repeatable and effective lesion formation — and allows me to focus on my patients,” explains Soto.

Board certified in internal medicine, cardiac disease and cardiac electrophysiology, Soto earned his medical degree at the Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis. He later completed his residency at Barnes-Jewish Hospital in St. Louis. Soto received his fellowship training from the Washington University School of Medicine.