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Journal of Interventional Cardiac Electrophysiology

Published in:

01-04-2014

Which is the best catheter to perform atrial fibrillation ablation? A comparison between standard ThermoCool, SmartTouch, and Surround Flow catheters

Authors: Luigi Sciarra, Paolo Golia, Andrea Natalizia, Ermenegildo De Ruvo, Serena Dottori, Antonio Scarà, Alessio Borrelli, Lucia De Luca, Marco Rebecchi, Alessandro Fagagnini, Alberto Bandini, Fabrizio Guarracini, Marcello Galvani, Leonardo Calò

Published in: Journal of Interventional Cardiac Electrophysiology | Issue 3/2014

Abstract

Introduction

Catheter ablation (CA) is an established therapy for atrial fibrillation (AF). The SmartTouch catheter (STc) provides information about catheter tip to tissue contact force (CF). The Surround Flow catheter (SFc) provides a uniform cooling of the tip during ablation. We sought to analyze the impact of STc and SFc on CA of paroxysmal AF in terms of feasibility and acute efficacy.

Methods and results

Sixty-three patients (mean age 57.6 ± 9.8 years, 53 males) with paroxysmal AF underwent pulmonary veins (PVs) antral isolation, by using standard ThermoCool catheter (TCc) in 21, STc in 21, and SFc in 21. Total procedural, fluoroscopy, and radiofrequency (RF) delivery times; percentage of persistently deconnected PVs after 30 min; and percentage of isolated PVs at the end of the procedure were measured.

The use of both STc and SFc obtained a reduction of fluoroscopy time (TCc 34 ± 18 min, STc 20 ± 10 min, p < 0.001; SFc 21 ± 13 min, p = 0.02 vs TCc) and RF time (TCc 41 ± 13 min, STc 30 ± 14 min, p = 0.013; SFc 30 ± 9 min, p < 0.01 vs TCc). The use of STc resulted in a reduction of procedural time (TCc 181 ± 53 min, STc 140 ± 53 min, p < 0.001; SFc 170 ± 51 min, p = NS vs TCc). The percentage of isolated PVs was comparable between groups (TCc 96 % vs STc 98 % vs SFc 96 %; p = NS). The percentage of deconnected PVs at 30 min was lower in TCc (89 %) than in STc (95 %) and in SFc (95 %) group (p < 0.05).

Conclusions

Both STc and SFc allowed a simplification of CA of paroxysmal AF. In addition, they reduced early PVs reconnection.

Condensed abstract

Sixty-three patients with paroxysmal AF underwent ablation by standard ThermoCool, SmartTouch, or Surround Flow catheter. Both the SmartTouch and the Surround Flow significantly reduced radiofrequency and fluoroscopy times, as well as pulmonary veins reconnection rate at 30 min. Moreover, the SmartTouch reduced overall duration of the procedure.

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Title: Which is the best catheter to perform atrial fibrillation ablation? A comparison between standard ThermoCool, SmartTouch, and Surround Flow catheters
Authors: Luigi Sciarra
Paolo Golia
Andrea Natalizia
Ermenegildo De Ruvo
Serena Dottori
Antonio Scarà
Alessio Borrelli
Lucia De Luca
Marco Rebecchi
Alessandro Fagagnini
Alberto Bandini
Fabrizio Guarracini
Marcello Galvani
Leonardo Calò
Publication date: 01-04-2014
Publisher: Springer US
Published in: Journal of Interventional Cardiac Electrophysiology / Issue 3/2014
Print ISSN: 1383-875X
Electronic ISSN: 1572-8595
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10840-014-9874-2

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Which is the best catheter to perform atrial fibrillation ablation? A comparison between standard ThermoCool, SmartTouch, and Surround Flow catheters

Abstract

Introduction

Methods and results

Conclusions

Condensed abstract

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