Martin Vurma1, Lam Dang2, Hans-Peter Brunner-La Rocca3, Gabor Sütsch2, Christine H Attenhofer-Jost2, Firat Duru4, Christoph Scharf5. 1. Cardiology Practice Stadelhofen, Goethestr. 20, 8001 Zurich, Switzerland. 2. Cardiovascular Center, Clinic im Park, Seestrasse 220, 8027 Zurich, Switzerland. 3. Cardiology, University Hospital Maastricht, 6202 AZ Maastricht, The Netherlands. 4. University Heart Center Zurich, Zurich 8091, Switzerland. 5. Cardiovascular Center, Clinic im Park, Seestrasse 220, 8027 Zurich, Switzerland christoph.scharf@gmail.com.
Abstract
AIMS: Circular irrigated radiofrequency ablation using the nMARQ catheter has recently been introduced for the treatment of atrial fibrillation (AF). The aim of this study is to report the safety and efficacy of catheter ablation using this technology in patients with paroxysmal and persistent AF. METHODS AND RESULTS: The data of a prospective registry describing the experience of a single operator using this technology on 327 consecutive patients were analysed. The mean procedure time was 69 ± 22 min for paroxysmal AF (n = 228) and 75 ± 23 min for persistent AF (n = 97). Follow-up was available for 206 (63%) patients for 6 ± 5 months (range 1-23, median 3.3). Single procedure success off antiarrhythmic drugs was 75% in paroxysmal AF and 52% in persistent AF. Including the 5% redo cases and those on antiarrhythmic medication, freedom from AF was documented in 90 and 83% of paroxysmal and persistent AF patients, respectively. There were no serious complications in the first 325 patients, but the last two consecutive patients (0.6%) developed atrio-oesophageal fistulas and had a fatal outcome. The catheter has been recalled from market. CONCLUSION: The nMARQ catheter is a highly effective tool for treatment of paroxysmal and persistent AF. Nevertheless, the occurrence of life-threatening oesophageal fistulas is of major concern and requires further investigation. Published on behalf of the European Society of Cardiology. All rights reserved.
AIMS: Circular irrigated radiofrequency ablation using the nMARQ catheter has recently been introduced for the treatment of atrial fibrillation (AF). The aim of this study is to report the safety and efficacy of catheter ablation using this technology in patients with paroxysmal and persistent AF. METHODS AND RESULTS: The data of a prospective registry describing the experience of a single operator using this technology on 327 consecutive patients were analysed. The mean procedure time was 69 ± 22 min for paroxysmal AF (n = 228) and 75 ± 23 min for persistent AF (n = 97). Follow-up was available for 206 (63%) patients for 6 ± 5 months (range 1-23, median 3.3). Single procedure success off antiarrhythmic drugs was 75% in paroxysmal AF and 52% in persistent AF. Including the 5% redo cases and those on antiarrhythmic medication, freedom from AF was documented in 90 and 83% of paroxysmal and persistent AFpatients, respectively. There were no serious complications in the first 325 patients, but the last two consecutive patients (0.6%) developed atrio-oesophageal fistulas and had a fatal outcome. The catheter has been recalled from market. CONCLUSION: The nMARQ catheter is a highly effective tool for treatment of paroxysmal and persistent AF. Nevertheless, the occurrence of life-threatening oesophageal fistulas is of major concern and requires further investigation. Published on behalf of the European Society of Cardiology. All rights reserved.
Authors: Hugh Calkins; Gerhard Hindricks; Riccardo Cappato; Young-Hoon Kim; Eduardo B Saad; Luis Aguinaga; Joseph G Akar; Vinay Badhwar; Josep Brugada; John Camm; Peng-Sheng Chen; Shih-Ann Chen; Mina K Chung; Jens Cosedis Nielsen; Anne B Curtis; D Wyn Davies; John D Day; André d'Avila; N M S Natasja de Groot; Luigi Di Biase; Mattias Duytschaever; James R Edgerton; Kenneth A Ellenbogen; Patrick T Ellinor; Sabine Ernst; Guilherme Fenelon; Edward P Gerstenfeld; David E Haines; Michel Haissaguerre; Robert H Helm; Elaine Hylek; Warren M Jackman; Jose Jalife; Jonathan M Kalman; Josef Kautzner; Hans Kottkamp; Karl Heinz Kuck; Koichiro Kumagai; Richard Lee; Thorsten Lewalter; Bruce D Lindsay; Laurent Macle; Moussa Mansour; Francis E Marchlinski; Gregory F Michaud; Hiroshi Nakagawa; Andrea Natale; Stanley Nattel; Ken Okumura; Douglas Packer; Evgeny Pokushalov; Matthew R Reynolds; Prashanthan Sanders; Mauricio Scanavacca; Richard Schilling; Claudio Tondo; Hsuan-Ming Tsao; Atul Verma; David J Wilber; Teiichi Yamane Journal: Heart Rhythm Date: 2017-05-12 Impact factor: 6.343
Authors: Hugh Calkins; Karl Heinz Kuck; Riccardo Cappato; Josep Brugada; A John Camm; Shih-Ann Chen; Harry J G Crijns; Ralph J Damiano; D Wyn Davies; John DiMarco; James Edgerton; Kenneth Ellenbogen; Michael D Ezekowitz; David E Haines; Michel Haissaguerre; Gerhard Hindricks; Yoshito Iesaka; Warren Jackman; José Jalife; Pierre Jais; Jonathan Kalman; David Keane; Young-Hoon Kim; Paulus Kirchhof; George Klein; Hans Kottkamp; Koichiro Kumagai; Bruce D Lindsay; Moussa Mansour; Francis E Marchlinski; Patrick M McCarthy; J Lluis Mont; Fred Morady; Koonlawee Nademanee; Hiroshi Nakagawa; Andrea Natale; Stanley Nattel; Douglas L Packer; Carlo Pappone; Eric Prystowsky; Antonio Raviele; Vivek Reddy; Jeremy N Ruskin; Richard J Shemin; Hsuan-Ming Tsao; David Wilber Journal: Heart Rhythm Date: 2012-03-01 Impact factor: 6.343
Authors: Hugh Calkins; Gerhard Hindricks; Riccardo Cappato; Young-Hoon Kim; Eduardo B Saad; Luis Aguinaga; Joseph G Akar; Vinay Badhwar; Josep Brugada; John Camm; Peng-Sheng Chen; Shih-Ann Chen; Mina K Chung; Jens Cosedis Nielsen; Anne B Curtis; D Wyn Davies; John D Day; André d'Avila; N M S Natasja de Groot; Luigi Di Biase; Mattias Duytschaever; James R Edgerton; Kenneth A Ellenbogen; Patrick T Ellinor; Sabine Ernst; Guilherme Fenelon; Edward P Gerstenfeld; David E Haines; Michel Haissaguerre; Robert H Helm; Elaine Hylek; Warren M Jackman; Jose Jalife; Jonathan M Kalman; Josef Kautzner; Hans Kottkamp; Karl Heinz Kuck; Koichiro Kumagai; Richard Lee; Thorsten Lewalter; Bruce D Lindsay; Laurent Macle; Moussa Mansour; Francis E Marchlinski; Gregory F Michaud; Hiroshi Nakagawa; Andrea Natale; Stanley Nattel; Ken Okumura; Douglas Packer; Evgeny Pokushalov; Matthew R Reynolds; Prashanthan Sanders; Mauricio Scanavacca; Richard Schilling; Claudio Tondo; Hsuan-Ming Tsao; Atul Verma; David J Wilber; Teiichi Yamane Journal: Europace Date: 2018-01-01 Impact factor: 5.214
Authors: Jorge Romero; Ricardo Avendano; Michael Grushko; Juan Carlos Diaz; Xianfeng Du; Carola Gianni; Andrea Natale; Luigi Di Biase Journal: Arrhythm Electrophysiol Rev Date: 2018-03