Heart ablations are an effective treatment for persistent AFib but can also cause serious damage to the nearby esophagus, an injury that can be life threatening. Doctors at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center developed a new surgical device that gently diverts the esophagus out of harm’s way, making ablation procedures safer.

Daily tasks are now much easier for Amanda Mitchem after undergoing a heart ablation to treat atrial fibrillation. She was part of a clinical trial at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center to test a new device that helps prevent a common and serious complication of the procedure.