ATS CryoMaze Probe receives CE Mark

ATS Medical, Inc. (Nasdaq: ATSI), manufacturer and marketer of state-of-the-art cardiac surgery products and services, today announced the receipt of CE Mark for the ATS CryoMaze® 10-S Surgical Cryoablation Probe for the treatment of cardiac arrhythmias. The first use of the 10-S probe in Europe was performed by Professor Friedrich W. Mohr at the Klinik fur Herzchirurgie (Clinic for Heart Surgery) in Leipzig, Germany. Professor Mohr is a globally renowned thought leader within the cardiac surgery community.

The ATS CryoMaze 10-S Probe complements the current product offering by adding a linear cryoablation probe that provides more controlled stiffness 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. In addition, the controlled support of the ATS CryoMaze 10-S Probe will optimize the shape retention of the malleable probe which is particularly useful in minimally invasive procedures.

"I have been using the ATS CryoMaze system for several years," said Professor Mohr. "I now prefer the 10-S probe because I believe it will be useful to help me maintain good tissue contact, especially 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 Argon- based cryoablation system routinely reaches probe temperatures of -160 degrees Celsius compared to nitrous-oxide systems that 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 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 can be repeatedly re-shaped 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 development of the ATS CryoMaze 10-S Probe was our response to requests from cardiac arrhythmia surgeons for a more substantial cryoablation instrument. This is one more example of our commitment to be responsive to the needs of our cardiac surgeon customers all around the world," said Michael Dale, President and CEO of ATS Medical.