Scientists have successfully integrated stretchable electronics technology with standard endocardial balloon catheters, one of the most common, least-invasive devices for cardiac procedures, a University of Illinois release said Monday.

The catheters are long, flexible tubes with balloons at the end that, when in place, can inflate and gently press against the surrounding tissue to open blood vessels or valves.

Currently, many heart rhythm disorders use catheters with electrodes at the end for detecting and mapping arrhythmias and for ablation -- selectively killing small patches of cells that beat off-rhythm.

The procedures involve two separate, rigid catheter devices -- one that maps the heart and one with an electrode at the end that ablates spots identified as aberrant, one at a time.

The new device can perform both functions over large areas of the heart simultaneously with stretchable, integrated arrays of sensors and electrodes.

"It's all in one, so it maps and zaps," John A. Rogers, a UI professor of materials science and engineering, said. "You just inflate it right into the cavity and softly push all of that electronics and functionality against the tissue."

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