The impact of an empiric superior vena cava isolation added to pulmonary vein isolation for non-paroxysmal atrial fibrillation associated with left atrial low voltage areas

Abstract Introduction Left atrial low-voltage areas (LVAs) are associated with recurrence after radiofrequency catheter ablation of atrial fibrillation (AF). However, the impact of LVAs on recurrence after an empiric pulmonary vein isolation (PVI) plus superior vena cava isolation (SVCI) strategy for non-Paroxysmal AF (PAF) patients remains unclear. Purpose We evaluated the impact of LVAs on the recurrence of atrial tachyarrhythmias (ATs)/AF in patients who underwent an empiric SVCI added to the PVI for non-PAF. Methods We enrolled 153 consecutive patients with non-PAF who underwent a PVI alone (PVI group; n=51) or empiric PVI plus SVCI (PVI+SVCI group; n=102). Left atrial voltage maps were constructed during sinus rhythm to identify the LVAs (<0.5 mV). No patients underwent a substrate modification of the LVAs. We divided the patients into two groups based on the LVAs (with or without an LVA >5% of the left atrial surface area) and investigated the ATs/AF free survival rate after the initial and multiple procedures. Results LVAs were identified in 65% and 73% of the PVI and PVI + SVCI groups, respectively (P=0.319). In the PVI group, the 18-month ATs/AF-free survival was 61% of the patients without LVAs and 27% of patients with LVAs after the initial session (P=0.018) (Figure 1-A). Seventy-two percent of the patients without LVAs and 46% of those with LVAs were free from ATs/AF after multiple sessions (P=0.083) (Figure 1-B). In the PVI+SVCI group, 50% of the patients with LVAs and 61% of those without LVAs had no recurrence after the initial session (P=0.374) (Figure 2-A). Moreover, there was no significant difference in the 18-month ATs/AF-free survival between the patients with and without LVAs after multiple sessions (73% vs. 79%; P=0.520) (Figure 2-B). Conclusion A PVI alone strategy for non-PAF patients with LVAs had limited efficacy for the outcomes, even with multiple procedures. However, an SVCI may have the potential to compensate for an impaired outcome in patients with LVAs. Funding Acknowledgement Type of funding source: None

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The effect of empirical superior vena cava isolation during total thoracoscopic ablation in patients with persistent atrial fibrillation

10.22541/au.163293566.60700703/v1 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Hee-jin Kwon ◽

Dong Seop Jeong ◽

Hye Ree Kim ◽

Seung-Jung Park ◽

Kyoung-Min Park ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Atrial Fibrillation ◽

Survival Rate ◽

Pulmonary Vein ◽

Superior Vena Cava ◽

Superior Vena ◽

Vena Cava ◽

Persistent Atrial Fibrillation ◽

Surgical Ablation ◽

Free Survival ◽

Improve Patient

Introduction: In patients with non-paroxysmal AF, various ablation strategies have been attempted to target non-pulmonary vein (PV) foci or to achieve substrate modification beyond pulmonary vein isolation (PVI). The efficacy of empirical ablation of the SVC, one of the most common non-PV foci, is unclear. The aim of this study was to investigate the efficacy and safety of additional superior vena cava (SVC) isolation in patients with non-paroxysmal atrial fibrillation (AF) undergoing thoracoscopic surgical ablation. Methods and Results: A total of 191 patients with persistent or longstanding persistent AF was enrolled. All patients underwent total thoracoscopic surgical ablation for AF, and half of them also received empirical SVC isolation. We compared the atrial-tachyarrhythmia (ATa)-free survival rate and procedure-related complications in the two groups of patients. The 3-year ATa-free survival rate was 53% in the SVC-isolation group and 52% in the no-SVC-isolation group, (p = 0.644). There were no differences between the two groups with respect to AF type or LA size. Procedure-related complications occurred in 12 patients (6%). Pacemakers were implanted only in 3 patients from the SVC-isolation group. The only factor influencing recurrence of ATa was LA diameter. Conclusions: Empirical SVC isolation during thoracoscopic ablation for persistent AF did not improve patient outcomes.

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Multicenter study of novel mapping technique to detect non-pulmonary vein triggers excluding the origin from left atrial posterior wall and superior vena cava

European Heart Journal ◽

10.1093/ehjci/ehaa946.0564 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 41 (Supplement_2) ◽

Author(s):

Y Matsunaga ◽

Y Egami ◽

M Yano ◽

M Yamato ◽

R Shutta ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Pulmonary Vein ◽

Superior Vena Cava ◽

Left Atrial ◽

Medical Center ◽

Superior Vena ◽

Vena Cava ◽

Posterior Wall ◽

Mapping Technique ◽

Left Atrial Posterior ◽

Self Reference

Abstract Background It has been reported that elimination of non-pulmonary vein (PV) triggers after PV isolation is a good predictor of atrial tachyarrhythmia free survival. However, precise mapping of triggers outside from superior vena cava (SVC) or left atrial posterior wall (LAPW) are difficult. The aim of this study is to assess the efficacy of self-reference mapping technique to eliminate non-PV triggers originated from outside of primordial pulmonary vein area. Methods Total of 431 patients (446 procedures) underwent atrial fibrillation (AF) ablation in a hospital and in a medical center from January 2017 to March 2019. After isolation of PV, non-PV triggers were induced with isoproterenol and/or adenosine triphosphate. Reproducible non-PV triggers were targeted to ablate using following self-reference mapping technique: A trigger conducts centrifugally and the earliest site should be distinguished from other later activated sites. Using a PentaRay multipolar catheter, the operators annotated the earliest site of local activation and a reference tag was placed. The multipolar catheter was then moved to the reference tag and the process repeated. Ultimately, we identified clusters of early circumferential activation and ablated. Results A total of 32 non-PV triggers excluding the origin from LAPW and SVC were induced in 23 patients. Nineteen triggers (59%) were located in the right atrium and 13 triggers (41%) in the left atrium (Figure 1). All triggers were eliminated with ablation and AF was non-inducible in all patients at the end of the procedure. During the follow-up (529±270 days), 18 patients (77%) were free from atrial tachyarrhythmias after a 3-month blanking period. Three patients received additional ablation procedures for recurrent atrial arrhythmias. No non-PV triggers ablated during the previous procedure were observed. Conclusion A novel self-reference mapping technique is useful for eliminating non-PV triggers in terms of the short- and long-term success. Figure 1. Distribution of non-PV triggers Funding Acknowledgement Type of funding source: None

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