International Circulation: Besides mapping systems， what other recent innovations have there been in catheter ablation technology?
　　《国际循环》：除外标测系统，在导管消融技术上还有哪些其他的最新创新？
　　Dr Hindriks: We have seen significant advances in the field of radiofrequency catheter technology. We have very sophisticated radiofrequency energy catheters with advanced irrigation， advanced energy transfer and advanced lesion induction. This is one of the most significant innovations. The second point I would like to make in this field is the introduction of contact force sensing technologies. Radiofrequency ablation is contact dependent. At the end of the day， it is not that difficult to understand - if you have good contact between your ablation electrode and the tissue， you produce a good lesion and a good result. If you have poor contact， you will not induce a good lesion thus you will not have a good result. There are three different technologies that focus in that direction by measuring the contact of the ablation electrode to the target sites. One is a technology from a Swiss-based company called Endosense who first introduced this technology of contact sensing to the market. Meanwhile we have two other technological platforms that are working in the same direction. One is from St Jude Medical， the ECI (electrical coupling index) contact sensing which is very promising. And there is also the SMARTTOUCH technology by Johnson & Johnson Biosense Webster. All three technologies provide significant and new information that will enhance catheter ablation of atrial fibrillation， increase feasibility， reduce risks and increase the efficacy of catheter ablation. So these innovations are very important as well.
　　Dr Hindriks：在导管射频技术领域里，我们已经看到了重大的进展。我们有非常复杂的射频能量导管，有着先进的灌注、先进的能量传递和先进的消融灶感应。这是最重大的创新之一。在这个领域，我想要阐明的第二点是接触力传感技术的引入。射频消融是接触依赖的。归根究底，这并不是很难理解，如果消融电极和组织之间有着良好的接触，则将产生良好的消融灶和良好的结果。如果接触不良，则你将不能造成良好的消融灶，因此不会有良好的结果。有三种不同的技术通过检测消融电极与目标位置的接触而着重于这个方向。一种是来自Swiss-based公司所谓Endosense的技术，它首先将这种接触传感技术引入市场。与此同时，我们有另外两个正在向相同方向努力的技术平台。一个是来自St Jude Medical非常有前景的ECI（电耦合指数）接触传感。还有强生公司Biosense Webster的SMARTTOUCH技术。所有这三种技术都提供重要的新信息，这将改善心房颤动的导管消融、增加可行性、降低风险和增加导管消融的有效性。因此，这些创新都非常重要。