BACKGROUND: Radiofrequency catheter ablation (RFCA) is a promising intervention to treat atrial fibrillation. However, pulmonary vein (PV) stenosis after RFCA has been reported. The aim of this study was to investigate the incidence and time course of pulmonary vein stenosis after RFCA within a period of 3 months. Contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance angiography (MRA) was used to visualize pulmonary veins and was compared with radiographic angiography. METHODS AND RESULTS: Forty-six consecutive patients with symptomatic paroxysmal atrial fibrillation had RFCA in the orifice of 138 pulmonary veins. Comparison of diameters measured in 44 untreated vessels either by radiographic angiography or with MRA established the reliability of MRA (r=0.934). MRA measurements revealed an incidence of relevant diameter reductions of > or =25% or stenosis of > or =50% after RFCA of 25 of 138 (18.1%) treated vessels 1 day and/or 3 months after ablation. A progression of diameter reduction after RFCA was observed in 8.3% (maximum 75%), whereas a regression was observed in 6.3% of treated PVs. Ablation at a radial angle of >180 degrees of a pulmonary vein orifice increased the risk of diameter reduction significantly compared with ablation at a radial angle < or =180 degrees (P=0.002). CONCLUSIONS: The occurrence and progression of PV stenosis is a potential significant complication of RFCA in the orifice of pulmonary veins. These findings may have an impact on the technical performance of this intervention. In addition, long-term studies will be necessary to evaluate lumen reduction over time. MRA is a noninvasive, reproducible imaging modality for this purpose.
BACKGROUND: Radiofrequency catheter ablation (RFCA) is a promising intervention to treat atrial fibrillation. However, pulmonary vein (PV) stenosis after RFCA has been reported. The aim of this study was to investigate the incidence and time course of pulmonary vein stenosis after RFCA within a period of 3 months. Contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance angiography (MRA) was used to visualize pulmonary veins and was compared with radiographic angiography. METHODS AND RESULTS: Forty-six consecutive patients with symptomatic paroxysmal atrial fibrillation had RFCA in the orifice of 138 pulmonary veins. Comparison of diameters measured in 44 untreated vessels either by radiographic angiography or with MRA established the reliability of MRA (r=0.934). MRA measurements revealed an incidence of relevant diameter reductions of > or =25% or stenosis of > or =50% after RFCA of 25 of 138 (18.1%) treated vessels 1 day and/or 3 months after ablation. A progression of diameter reduction after RFCA was observed in 8.3% (maximum 75%), whereas a regression was observed in 6.3% of treated PVs. Ablation at a radial angle of >180 degrees of a pulmonary vein orifice increased the risk of diameter reduction significantly compared with ablation at a radial angle < or =180 degrees (P=0.002). CONCLUSIONS: The occurrence and progression of PV stenosis is a potential significant complication of RFCA in the orifice of pulmonary veins. These findings may have an impact on the technical performance of this intervention. In addition, long-term studies will be necessary to evaluate lumen reduction over time. MRA is a noninvasive, reproducible imaging modality for this purpose.
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
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: J Am Coll Cardiol Date: 2010-06-08 Impact factor: 24.094
Authors: Thomas J Oxley; Nicholas L Opie; Sam E John; Gil S Rind; Stephen M Ronayne; Tracey L Wheeler; Jack W Judy; Alan J McDonald; Anthony Dornom; Timothy J H Lovell; Christopher Steward; David J Garrett; Bradford A Moffat; Elaine H Lui; Nawaf Yassi; Bruce C V Campbell; Yan T Wong; Kate E Fox; Ewan S Nurse; Iwan E Bennett; Sébastien H Bauquier; Kishan A Liyanage; Nicole R van der Nagel; Piero Perucca; Arman Ahnood; Katherine P Gill; Bernard Yan; Leonid Churilov; Christopher R French; Patricia M Desmond; Malcolm K Horne; Lynette Kiers; Steven Prawer; Stephen M Davis; Anthony N Burkitt; Peter J Mitchell; David B Grayden; Clive N May; Terence J O'Brien Journal: Nat Biotechnol Date: 2016-02-08 Impact factor: 54.908
Authors: Pablo Pazos-López; Cristina García-Rodríguez; Alba Guitián-González; Emilio Paredes-Galán; María Ángel De La Guarda Álvarez-Moure; Marta Rodríguez-Álvarez; José Antonio Baz-Alonso; Elvis Teijeira-Fernández; Francisco Eugenio Calvo-Iglesias; Andrés Íñiguez-Romo Journal: World J Cardiol Date: 2016-01-26