Pulsed field ablation selectively spares the oesophagus during pulmonary vein isolation for atrial fibrillation.

ABSTRACT:

Aims

Extra-atrial injury can cause complications after catheter ablation for atrial fibrillation (AF). Pulsed field ablation (PFA) has generated preclinical data suggesting that it selectively targets the myocardium. We sought to characterize extra-atrial injuries after pulmonary vein isolation (PVI) between PFA and thermal ablation methods.

Methods and results

Cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) imaging was performed before, acutely (<3 h) and 3 months post-ablation in 41 paroxysmal AF patients undergoing PVI with PFA (N = 18, Farapulse) or thermal methods (N = 23, 16 radiofrequency, 7 cryoballoon). Oesophageal and aortic injuries were assessed by using late gadolinium-enhanced (LGE) imaging. Phrenic nerve injuries were assessed from diaphragmatic motion on intra-procedural fl

SUBMITTER: Cochet H 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8427383 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature