July 20, 2009 - ATS Medical Inc. today announced the first commercial use of the new ATS CryoMaze 10-S Surgical Cryoablation Probe for the treatment of cardiac arrhythmias.
The cryoablation procedure was performed by Niv Ad, M.D., chief of cardiac surgery at the Inova Heart and Vascular Institute in Falls Church, Virginia. The ATS CryoMaze 10-S Probe is a linear cryoablation probe that is more rigid than the current ATS CryoMaze probes. The increased support throughout the length of the 10-S probe addresses the preference of some surgeons to have more probe leverage to achieve contact with targeted tissue that is difficult to reach, the company said. In addition, the increased stiffness of the ATS CryoMaze 10-S Probe will optimize the shape retention of the malleable probe, which is particularly useful in minimally invasive procedures.
The new cryoablation probe leverages the second generation, argon-based ATS CryoMaze System that quickly achieves the coldest probe temperatures available for cardiac arrhythmia surgery, the company said. The argon-based cryoablation system routinely reaches probe temperatures of -160 degrees Celsius compared to first generation nitrous-oxide systems, which only reach temperatures of -65 degrees Celsius. The colder probe temperatures provide faster, deeper lesions yielding greater confidence that transmural, linear lesions are being achieved, especially in clinical situations in which varying tissue thickness is the rule, the company said.
The proprietary design utilized in all ATS CryoMaze Probes allows them to be easily shaped by hand without the need for a tool to control the radius of the bends. The probe tip can be repeatedly reshaped intraoperatively to meet the different anatomic requirements of the individual patient and procedure. The "bellows" design of the ATS CryoMaze Probes facilitates this durable probe malleability without kinking and/or fractures.
"The ATS CryoMaze System is very well equipped for minimally invasive stand-alone surgery for atrial fibrillation. The new, more rigid 10-S probe is a great addition that makes it easier to apply lesions and complete full biatrial Maze-III procedures," said Dr. Ad.
For more information: www.atsmedical.com
January 22, 2026 
