ABLATION THERAPY^{9,10,11,12,13}

"Ablation" is a technique where tissue is heated until it is no longer viable or alive. Various forms of ablation have been used for nearly a century to treat a number of cancerous and precancerous conditions, as well as to control bleeding. The HALO ablation technology is a very specific type of ablation, in which heat energy is delivered in a precise and highly-controlled manner.

Ablation therapy is performed in conjunction with upper endoscopy and the treatment is performed in an outpatient setting.

The ablation technology consists of two different devices; the HALO³⁶⁰⁺ ablation catheter and the HALO⁹⁰ focal ablation device. The balloon-based HALO³⁶⁰⁺ device is capable of treating larger areas of circumferential Barrett's esophagus, while the focal ablation device is used to treat smaller areas.

The proprietary technology incorporated in the HALO³⁶⁰ and the HALO⁹⁰ Systems is designed to maximize clinical outcomes and completely remove the Barrett's epithelium without significant injury to the underlying tissue.

Bipolar electrode array geometry precisely controls the depth of ablation to < 1 mm.

• Delivery of ablative energy in less than 1 second allows long or short segments of Barrett's to be treated quickly
• Consistent application of bipolar energy uniformly removes the esophageal epithelium, reducing potential for buried glands and improving patient tolerability
• Controlled treatment depth of less than 1,000 µm reduces risk of stricture formation, even after multiple energy applications

PRECISE DEPTH CONTROL

Barrett's epithelium is approximately 500 µm in thickness. The HALO Energy Generator and the HALO Ablation Catheter electrode array are designed to work in concert to achieve a uniform, superficial depth of ablation of ~1,000 µm.

PREDICTABLE OUTCOME

In both porcine and human esophagectomy studies, the HALO technology has demonstrated removal of the esophageal epithelium without significant injury to the submucosa when using the recommended treatment settings.

Non-ablated esophagus Epithelium intact		48 hours Post-Ablation Absence of epithelium with preservation of lamina propria and muscularis mucosae.

References