Beating Heart Direct Left Atrial Access Balloon Cryoablation: Safety and Efficacy of Pulmonary Vein Isolation in an Ovine Model

Author(s):  
James S. Gammie ◽  
G Kwame Yankey ◽  
Timothy Nolan ◽  
Z. Jon Wu ◽  
Timm Dickfeld ◽  
...  

Objective Clinical experience with endocardial cryoablation for the surgical treatment of atrial fibrillation has demonstrated safety and efficacy. Direct access to the left atrium via a thoracoscopic or pericardial approach with a balloon-tipped cryoablation catheter might facilitate endocardial cryoablation on the beating heart. We investigated the ability of a novel cryoballoon to produce endocardial pulmonary vein ostial cryolesions on the beating heart in a large-animal model. Methods Six sheep underwent small left thoracotomy. A 10.5F catheter with a 23-mm cryoballoon was inserted directly into the left atrium under fluoroscopic and intracardiac echo (ICE) guidance. Cryoablation of the pulmonary vein ostia was performed. Animals were killed at 14 days. Pulmonary venous electrical isolation was assessed immediately before the animals were killed. Results All animals survived balloon cryoablation with no periprocedural complications. Balloon occlusion was well tolerated hemodynamically, with minimal change in blood pressure (–4 ± 6 mm Hg systolic BP) and no change in heart rate. ICE demonstrated an absence of intracardiac air or ice embolization during ablation. Mean balloon temperature was −67 ± 8°C. All animals were neurologically intact after the procedure. Five of 6 (83%) veins exhibited circumferential exit block. Phrenic nerve function was intact in all animals. On gross inspection, all lesions were circumferential and continuous without evidence of endocardial thrombus. Pathology confirmed circumferential transmurality in all treated veins. Conclusions Direct left atrial access cryoballoon ablation was effective for isolating pulmonary veins. This technology may be an important component of a minimally invasive beating heart CryoMaze procedure for the treatment of atrial fibrillation.

EP Europace ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 22 (Supplement_1) ◽  
Author(s):  
A P Martin ◽  
M Fowler ◽  
N Lever

Abstract Background Pulmonary vein isolation using cryotherapy is an established treatment for the management of patients with paroxysmal atrial fibrillation. Ablation using the commercially available balloon cryocatheter has been shown to create wide antral pulmonary vein isolation. A novel balloon cryocatheter (BCC) has been designed to maintain uniform pressure and size during ablation, potentially improving contact with the antral anatomy. The extent of ablation created using the novel BCC has not previously been established. Purpose To determine the anatomical extent of pulmonary vein isolation using electroanatomical mapping when performing catheter ablation for paroxysmal atrial fibrillation using the novel BCC. Methods Nine consecutive patients underwent pre-procedure computed tomography angiography of the left atrium to quantify the chamber dimensions. An electroanatomical map was created using the cryoablation system mapping catheter and a high definition mapping system. A bipolar voltage map was obtained following ablation to determine the extent of pulmonary vein isolation ablation. A volumetric technique was used to quantify the extent of vein and posterior wall electrical isolation in addition to traditional techniques for proving entrance and exit block. Results All patients had paroxysmal atrial fibrillation, mean age 56 years, 7 (78%) male. Electrical isolation was achieved for 100% of the pulmonary veins; mean total procedure time was 109 min (+/- 26 SD), and fluoroscopy time 14.9 min (+/- 2.4 SD). The median treatment applications per vein was one (range one - four), and median treatment duration 180 sec (range 180 -240). Left atrial volume 32 mL/m2 (+/- 7 SD), and mean left atrial posterior wall area 22 cm2 (+/- 4 SD). Data was available for quantitative assessment of the extent of ablation for eight patients. No lesions (0 of 32) were ostial in nature. The antral surface area of ablation was not statistically different between the left and right sided pulmonary veins (p 0.63), which were 5.9 (1.6 SD) and 5.4 (2.1 SD) cm2 respectively. In total 50% of the posterior left atrial wall was ablated.  Conclusion Pulmonary vein isolation using a novel BCC provides a wide and antral lesion set. There is significant debulking of the posterior wall of the left atrium. Abstract Figure.


EP Europace ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 23 (Supplement_3) ◽  
Author(s):  
J Michaelsen ◽  
U Parade ◽  
H Bauerle ◽  
K-D Winter ◽  
U Rauschenbach ◽  
...  

Abstract Funding Acknowledgements Type of funding sources: None. OnBehalf REGIONAL Background Pulmonary vein isolation (PVI) using cryoballoon ablation (CBA) has become an established procedure for the treatment of symptomatic paroxysmal and persistent atrial fibrillation (AF). The safety and efficacy of PVI at community hospitals with low to moderate case numbers is unknown. Aim To determine safety and efficacy of PVI using CBA performed at community hospitals with limited annual case numbers. Methods 1004 PVI performed consecutively between 01/2019 and 09/2020 at 20 community hospitals (each <100 PVI using CBA/year) for symptomatic paroxysmal AF (n = 563) or persistentAF (n= 441) were included in this registry. CBA was performed considering local standards. Procedural data, efficacy and complications were determined. Results Mean number of PVI using CBA/year was 59 ± 26. Mean procedure time was 90.1 ± 31.6 min and mean fluoroscopy time was 19.2 ± 11.4 min. Isolation of all pulmonary veins could be achieved in 97.9% of patients, early termination of CBA due to phrenic nerve palsy was the most frequent reason for incomplete isolation. There was no in-hospital death. 2 patients (0.2%) suffered a clinical stroke. Pericardial effusion occurred in 6 patients (0.6%), 2 of them (0.2%) required pericardial drainage. Vascular complications occurred in 24 patients (2.4%), in 2 of these patients (0.2%) vascular surgery was required. In 48 patients (4.8 %) phrenic nerve palsy was noticed which persisted up to hospital discharge in 6 patients (0.6%). Conclusions PVI for paroxysmal or persistent AF using CBA can be performed at community hospitals with high efficacy and low complication rates despite low to moderate annual procedure numbers.


PeerJ ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 4 ◽  
pp. e1579 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wiesława Klimek-Piotrowska ◽  
Mateusz K. Hołda ◽  
Katarzyna Piątek ◽  
Mateusz Koziej ◽  
Jakub Hołda

Background.It is well known that the pulmonary veins (PVs), especially their myocardial sleeves play a critical role in the initiation and maintenance of atrial fibrillation. Understanding the PV anatomy is crucial for the safety and efficacy of all procedures performed on PVs. The aim of this study was to present normal distal PV anatomy and to create a juxtaposition of all PV ostium variants.Methods.A total of 130 randomly selected autopsied adult human hearts (Caucasian) were examined. The number of PVs ostia was evaluated and their diameter was measured. The ostium-to-last-tributary distance and macroscopic presence of myocardial sleeves were also evaluated.Results.Five hundred forty-one PV ostia were identified. Four classical PV ostia patterns (two left and two right PVs) were observed in 70.8% of all cases. The most common variant was the classical pattern with additional middle right PV (19.2%), followed by the common ostium for the left superior and the inferior PVs (4.44%). Mean diameters of PV ostia (for the classical pattern) were: left superior = 13.8 ± 2.9 mm; left inferior = 13.3 ± 3.4 mm; right superior = 14.3 ± 2.9 mm; right inferior = 13.7 ± 3.3 mm. When present, the additional middle right PV ostium had the smallest PV ostium diameter in the heart (8.2 ± 4.1 mm). The mean ostium-to-last-tributary (closest to the atrium) distances were: left superior = 15.1 ± 4.6 mm; left inferior = 13.5 ± 4.0 mm; right superior = 11.8 ± 4.0 mm; right inferior = 11.0 ± 3.7 mm. There were no statistically significant differences between sexes in ostia diameters and ostium-to-last-tributary distances.Conclusion.Only 71% of the cases have four standard pulmonary veins. The middle right pulmonary vein is present in almost 20% of patients. Presented data can provide useful information for the clinicians during interventional procedures or radiologic examinations of PVs.


2021 ◽  
pp. 52-55
Author(s):  
Adi Lador ◽  
Miguel Valderrábano

Catheter ablation has become a cornerstone treatment for atrial fibrillation (AF). Pulmonary vein isolation is the accepted approach for paroxysmal AF ablation, but it is less effective for persistent AF. The vein of Marshall (VOM) is located in the epicardial left atrium and can be a source of AF triggers as well as a tract for autonomic nerves. It directly communicates with the underlying myocardium, including the left atrial ridge and the posterior mitral isthmus. This review discusses the latest evidence regarding the mechanisms, procedural aspects, and outcomes of VOM ethanol infusion when used as an adjunct to pulmonary vein isolation in patients with persistent AF.


Author(s):  
Kenichi Funamoto ◽  
Ryo Koizumi ◽  
Toshiyuki Hayase ◽  
Muneichi Shibata ◽  
Tomoyuki Yambe

The left atrium (LA), which connects four pulmonary veins (PVs) to the left ventricle (LV), has a characteristic shape called the left atrial appendage (LAA) under the left PV. Atrial fibrillation (AF) is a heart disease, by which irregular electrical signals with high-frequency contraction (> 400 bpm) occur in the LA. Although AF itself is not fatal, it may cause thrombus formation, resulting to cerebral infarction. In this study, hemodynamics in the LA with/without AF was investigated by means of fluid-structure interaction simulation.


2019 ◽  
Vol 20 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Shaojie Chen ◽  
Boris Schmidt ◽  
Stefano Bordignon ◽  
Fabrizio Bologna ◽  
K. R. Julian Chun

Abstract Background Cryoballoon ablation is an established procedure for atrial fibrillation (AF). Patients who had previous pulmonary surgery undergoing pulmonary vein isolation (PVI) were seldom reported. Case presentation We describe an AF ablation using the novel short-tip third-generation cryoballoon in a patient with resected pulmonary vein. All pulmonary veins were successfully isolated without complication. The short-tip third-generation cryoballoon shows advantageous profile in PVI for AF patients with previous pulmonary surgery. Conclusions This report indicates that for AF patient who had previous resected PV surgery, the short-tip CB 3 provides an ideal device option for real-time PVI.


2012 ◽  
Vol 2012 ◽  
pp. 1-4 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. S. Rajeshwari ◽  
Priya Ranganath

Pulmonary veins carry oxygenated blood from the lungs to the left atrium. Variations are quite common in the pattern of drainage. The present study was undertaken to evaluate the incidence of different draining patterns of the right pulmonary veins at the hilum by dissecting the human fixed cadaveric lungs. Clinically, pulmonary veins have been demonstrated to often play an important role in generating atrial fibrillation. Hence, it is important to look into the anatomy of the veins during MR imaging and CT angiography. In 53.8% of cases, the right superior lobar vein and right middle lobar vein were found to be united together to form the right superior pulmonary vein. In contrast to this, in 11.53% of cases, right middle lobar vein united with the right inferior lobar vein to form the right inferior pulmonary vein, while in 26.9% of cases, the right superior lobar vein, right middle lobar vein, and right inferior lobar vein drained separately.


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document