Pulsed field ablation (PFA) has experienced a meteoric rise in popularity within the electrophysiology market. When compared to other existing treatment methods, PFA provides faster recovery times for patients, shorter hospital stays, and faster procedure times. However, this rapid growth has come at the expense of other existing treatment options such as cryoablation and radiofrequency ablation (RFA). While RFA has shrunk slightly due to the significantly lower cost, cryoablation has been widely replaced by PFA in countries where PFA catheters have been approved.
Historically, a major advantage of cryoablation was its usage of cold instead of heat to damage the electrical pathways in the heart. This offered physicians a method to lessen damage to sensitive areas of the heart, and even reverse procedural damage if the need arose. However, PFA offers a completely nonthermal method to treat similar arrhythmias, eliminating a key advantage of cryoablation. In addition, PFA remains faster and quicker for patients than cryoablation. According to the GlobalData market analyser, cryoablation catheters were worth $511.8m in 2024. By 2026, this number is expected to decrease by over 50%. Pulsed field ablation, by comparison, was worth $1.9bn. In 2026, the PFA market is estimated to be worth over $5.7bn. Other types of catheters such as RFA catheters are expected to remain steady in their revenues. In addition to the differences in patient outcomes mentioned above, the average cost of a cryoablation catheter is almost the same as a PFA catheter, making it difficult for hospitals and healthcare systems to justify using them over PFA catheters. Currently, the market outlook for cryoablation catheters is poor. Without significant innovation for these devices or a drop in price, it is unlikely that cryoablation catheters will be able to compete with PFA, especially as more and more companies shift away from cryoablation in favour of PFA. As PFA becomes increasingly widespread, the cryoablation device market may be completely overtaken by these new, more effective catheters.
Go deeper with GlobalData
Access deeper industry intelligence
Experience unmatched clarity with a single platform that combines unique data, AI, and human expertise.
