Three‐year outcomes and reconnection patterns after initial contact force guided pulmonary vein isolation for paroxysmal atrial fibrillation

• DOI: 10.1111/jce.13280
• Publication Date: 2017-06-21T08:06:43Z
• Authors: Girish M. Nair; Colin Yeo; Zachary MacDonald; Mark P. Ainslie; Wael A. Alqarawi; Pablo B. Nery; Calum J. Redpath; Mouhannad Sadek; Stewart Spence; Martin S. Green; David H. Birnie
• Keywords: Atrial tachycardia

Abstract Background and objective Contact force (CF) sensing is a novel technology used for catheter ablation of atrial fibrillation (AF). We compared the single procedure success CF‐guided pulmonary vein isolation (PVI) with that non‐CF guided PVI during 3‐year (1,095 days) follow up period analyzed pattern (PV) reconnection. Methods A cohort 167 subjects (68 CF vs. 99 non‐CF) paroxysmal AF were included in study. Atrial arrhythmia (AA) recurrence was defined as documented AF, flutter, or tachycardia lasting >30 seconds occurring after 90 days. Results Subjects group showed statistically nonsignificant improvement AA free survival to those (66.2% 51.5%; P value: 0.06). greater propensity reconnection noted around right‐sided PVs left‐sided related both groups. For example, 36% segments reconnected 16% (P value <0.01). Conclusions right sided PV The explanation this finding instability veins. Further research needed explore utility “real‐time” composite indicator includes RF energy, stability predicting transmural lesion formation ablation.