Multi-Sensor Esophageal Temperature Probe Used During Radiofrequency Ablation for Atrial Fibrillation is Associated with Increased Intraluminal Temperature Detection and Increased Risk of Esophageal Injury Compared to Single-Sensor Probe

Introduction: Esophageal injury is known to be a serious complication occurs after catheter ablation (CA) of atrial fibrillation (AF). Hypothesis: We investigated the factors associated with the occurrence of EI after CA. Also esophageal temperature monitoring (ETM) can be useful, multiple factors such as patient characteristics and specific strategies for radiofrequency energy delivery also merit consideration. Methods: Among 508 patients who underwent CA of AF, endoscopy was performed the next day after CA to examine for EI. The incidence of EI was compared between 200 patients who done ETM (ETM group) and 308 patients who didn’t done ETM (Non-ETM group) during CA. The Shortest Distance between esophagus and posterior left atrium measured on contrast Computed Tomography (SD-CT) was also compared between both groups. Results: No differences were observed between both groups in total amount of radiofrequency energy applications. However, EI occurred more frequently in Non-ETM group (8/200 patients; 4.0 % vs 27/308 patients; 8.8 %, p=0.042). There was no significant difference in SD-CT between ETM and Non-ETM group. However, SD-CT in patients with EI was significantly shorter than SD-CT in patients without EI, both in ETM (2.4±0.7 vs 4.3±0.9 mm, p<0.001) and in Non-ETM group (2.5±0.2 vs 4.2±0.9 mm, p=0.017), respectively. Multiple regression analysis revealed that only SD-CT significantly correlated with EI. The area under a receiver operating characteristic curve using ST-CT as a predictive marker in EI patients was 0.968 (p<0.001). When the cut-off value of EI was set at 2.9mm, the sensitivity and specificity for EI diagnosis were 96.6% and 87.5%. Conclusions: The use of ETM is absolutely safe and necessary in order to prevent the occurrence of thermal EI.

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Impact of High-Power Short-Duration Radiofrequency Ablation on Esophageal Temperature Dynamic

Circulation Arrhythmia and Electrophysiology ◽

10.1161/circep.121.010205 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Hagai D. Yavin ◽

Zachary P. Bubar ◽

Koji Higuchi ◽

Jakub Sroubek ◽

Mohamed Kanj ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Radiofrequency Ablation ◽

Pulmonary Vein ◽

Short Duration ◽

Pulmonary Vein Isolation ◽

High Power ◽

Temperature Rise ◽

Esophageal Injury ◽

Esophageal Temperature ◽

Dynamic Profile ◽

Temperature Dynamic

Background: High-power short-duration (HP-SD) radiofrequency ablation (RFA) has been proposed as a method for producing rapid and effective lesions for pulmonary vein isolation. The underlying hypothesis assumes an increased resistive heating phase and decreased conductive heating phase, potentially reducing the risk for esophageal thermal injury. The objective of this study was to compare the esophageal temperature dynamic profile between HP-SD and moderate-power moderate-duration (MP-MD) RFA ablation strategies. Methods: In patients undergoing pulmonary vein isolation, RFA juxtaposed to the esophagus was delivered in an alternate sequence of HP-SD (50 W, 8–10 s) and MP-MD (25 W, 15–20 s) between adjacent applications (distance, ≤4 mm). Esophageal temperature was recorded using a multisensor probe (CIRCA S-CATH). Temperature data included magnitude of temperature rise, maximal temperature, time to maximal temperature, and time return to baseline. In swine, a similar experimental design compared the effect of HP-SD and MP-MD on patterns of esophageal injury. Results: In 20 patients (68.9±5.8 years old; 60% persistent atrial fibrillation), 55 paired HP-SD and MP-MD applications were analyzed. The esophageal temperature dynamic profile was similar between HP-SD and MP-MD ablation strategies. Specifically, the magnitude of temperature rise (2.1 °C [1.4–3] versus 2.0 °C [1.5–3]; P =0.22), maximal temperature (38.4 °C [37.8–39.3] versus 38.5 °C [37.9–39.4]; P =0.17), time to maximal temperature (24.9±7.5 versus 26.3±6.8 s; P =0.1), and time of temperature to return to baseline (110±23.2 versus 111±25.1 s; P =0.86) were similar between HP-SD and MP-MD ablation strategies. In 6 swine, esophageal injury was qualitatively similar between HP-SD and MP-MD strategies. Conclusions: Esophageal temperature dynamics are similar between HP-SD and MP-MD RFA strategies and result in comparable esophageal tissue injury. Therefore, when using a HP-SD RFA strategy, the shorter application duration should not prompt shorter intervals between applications.

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