BACKGROUND: The end point for catheter ablation of pulmonary vein (PV) foci initiating atrial fibrillation (AF) has not been determined. METHODS AND RESULTS: Ninety patients underwent mapping during spontaneous or induced ectopy and/or AF initiation. Ostial PV ablation was performed by use of angiograms to precisely define targeted sites. Success defined by elimination of AF without drugs was correlated with the procedural end point of the abolition of distal PV potentials. A total of 197 arrhythmogenic PV foci (97%)-single in 31% and multiple in 69%-and 6 atrial foci were identified. A discrete radiofrequency (RF) application eliminated the PV potentials in 9 PV foci, whereas 2 foci from the same PV required RF applications at separate sites in 19 cases. In others, a wider region was targeted with progressive elimination of ectopy. In 49 patients, multiple sessions were necessary owing to recurrent or new ectopy. The clinical success rates were 93%, 73%, and 55% in patients with 1, 2, and > or =3 arrhythmogenic PV foci. Recovery of local PV potential and the inability to abolish it were significantly associated with AF recurrences (90% success rate with versus 55% without PV potential abolition). PV stenosis was noted acutely in 5 of 6 cases, remained unchanged at restudy, and was associated with RF power >45 W. CONCLUSIONS: Multiple PV foci are involved in initiation of AF, and elimination of PV muscle conduction is associated with clinical success.
BACKGROUND: The end point for catheter ablation of pulmonary vein (PV) foci initiating atrial fibrillation (AF) has not been determined. METHODS AND RESULTS: Ninety patients underwent mapping during spontaneous or induced ectopy and/or AF initiation. Ostial PV ablation was performed by use of angiograms to precisely define targeted sites. Success defined by elimination of AF without drugs was correlated with the procedural end point of the abolition of distal PV potentials. A total of 197 arrhythmogenic PV foci (97%)-single in 31% and multiple in 69%-and 6 atrial foci were identified. A discrete radiofrequency (RF) application eliminated the PV potentials in 9 PV foci, whereas 2 foci from the same PV required RF applications at separate sites in 19 cases. In others, a wider region was targeted with progressive elimination of ectopy. In 49 patients, multiple sessions were necessary owing to recurrent or new ectopy. The clinical success rates were 93%, 73%, and 55% in patients with 1, 2, and > or =3 arrhythmogenic PV foci. Recovery of local PV potential and the inability to abolish it were significantly associated with AF recurrences (90% success rate with versus 55% without PV potential abolition). PV stenosis was noted acutely in 5 of 6 cases, remained unchanged at restudy, and was associated with RF power >45 W. CONCLUSIONS: Multiple PV foci are involved in initiation of AF, and elimination of PV muscle conduction is associated with clinical success.
Authors: John P Marenco; Hiroshi Nakagawa; Shawn Yang; David MacAdam; Lucien Xu; Ding S He; Mark S Link; Munther K Homoud; N A Mark Estes III; Paul J Wang Journal: Ann Noninvasive Electrocardiol Date: 2003-01 Impact factor: 1.468
Authors: Christian Weiss; Mark Stewart; Olaf Franzen; Thomas Rostock; Jan Becker; Jim R Skarda; Thomas Meinertz; Stephan Willems Journal: J Interv Card Electrophysiol Date: 2004-06 Impact factor: 1.900
Authors: W Gregory Hundley; David A Bluemke; J Paul Finn; Scott D Flamm; Mark A Fogel; Matthias G Friedrich; Vincent B Ho; Michael Jerosch-Herold; Christopher M Kramer; Warren J Manning; Manesh Patel; Gerald M Pohost; Arthur E Stillman; Richard D White; Pamela K Woodard Journal: Circulation Date: 2010-05-17 Impact factor: 29.690