Active esophageal cooling during radiofrequency ablation of the left atrium: data review and update.

ABSTRACT:

Introduction

Radiofrequency (RF) ablation of the left atrium of the heart is increasingly used to treat atrial fibrillation (AF). Unfortunately, inadvertent thermal injury to the esophagus can occur during this procedure, potentially creating an atrioesophageal fistula (AEF) which is 80% fatal. The ensoETM (Attune Medical, Chicago, IL), is an esophageal cooling device that has been shown to reduce thermal injury to the esophagus during RF ablation.

Areas covered

This review summarizes growing evidence related to active esophageal cooling during RF ablation for the treatment of AF. The review presents data demonstrating improved outcomes related to patient safety and procedural efficiency and suggests directions for future research.

Expert opinion

The use of active eso

SUBMITTER: Cooper J 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9839561 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature