Heart Freezing Technique Used For 1st Time in Metro to Treat Rhythm Disorder

[KSTP TV, January 31, 2011] Heart doctors in Minneapolis say they've just successfully used a freezing technique for the first time to treat a patient with heart rhythm problems.

The patient had a common disorder known as paroxysmal atrial fibrillation. Officials say on January 19th, doctors at the Minneapolis Heart Institute at Abbott Northwestern Hospital inserted a tiny balloon into the upper chamber of the patients heart, filled it with coolant and froze it.  After the area thawed, the surgeon froze the area again--to create lesions on the inside wall of the heart..