Catheter magnetic guidance is a technology developed in the last 8 years. This technique allows the movement of catheter through the vascular system remotely by changing the magnetic force on the magnetic tip of the catheter.

The instrument consists in 3 orthogonal electromagnets controlled by a computer, a fluoroscopic system and a catheter with a permanent magnet on its tip. The desired magnetic field is obtained by combining the 3 magnetic fields.
The applications of this method are radiofrequency catheter ablation for arrhythmia treatment and endocardial mapping. Theoretically every procedure using catheter can use this kind of guidance by using catheter with a permanent magnet on the tip.

The novelty of this technology is the remote control of the catheter that allows no radiation exposure to the physician during the procedure.

Picture of the instrumentation needed for magnetic catheter guidance