BACKGROUND Catheter ablation of accessory atrioventricular (AV) connections has been demonstrated to be effective in more than 85% of patients. One of the risks of this procedure is radiation exposure during the fluoroscopic imaging necessary to guide catheter manipulation. The objective of the present study was to measure the radiation received by patients and physicians during radiofrequency ...

INTRODUCTION Preprocedural factors may be helpful in selecting patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) for treatment with catheter ablation and in making an assumption regarding their prognosis. The aims of this study were to investigate whether left atrial (LA) volume and pulmonary venous (PV) anatomy, evaluated by computed tomography (CT) prior to ablation, will predict AF recurrence following...

Background: Lack of an irrigated tip magnetic catheter has limited the role of remotecontrolled magnetic (RCM) navigation (Niobe II, Stereotaxis) for catheter ablation of atrial fibrillation (AF). Methods and Results: A novel 3.5-mm tip irrigated magnetic catheter (group I, Thermocool Navistar RMT, Biosense Webster) was used for 3-D left atrial reconstruction (CARTO RMT) and RCM pulmonary vein ...

Radiofrequency ablation (RFA) using a percutaneous catheter is a common approach to treat supraventricular arrhythmias. Atrial fibrillation (AF) frequently arises from an abnormal focus at or near the junction of the pulmonary veins and the left atrium, thus leading to the feasibility of more focused ablation techniques directed at these structures. Catheter-based ablation, using RFA or cryoabl...

A number of complications have been associated with ablation of atrial fibrillation (AF), including arterial thrombo-embolism, pulmonary vein stenosis, phrenic nerve injury, and pericardial tamponade.1–4 Esophageal injury, manifested as esophageal perforation or left atrial-esophageal fistula, has been reported after catheter or surgical ablation of AF using radiofrequency (RF) current5–8 and c...

There is limited literature available regarding PV (pulmonary vein) stenosis management. Starting from its incidence, subsequent follow up using imaging technologies to monitor the success and the way of managing different groups pose varied opinions. However, with newer technological advancements and better understanding of mechanism of the atrial fibrillation ablation, the incidence of PV ste...

In this paper, we present a sensor guided ablation procedure of highly motile left atrium. It uses a system which automatically registers the 4D heart model with the position sensor on the catheter, and visualizes the heart model and the position of the catheter together in real time. With this system clinicians can easily map the motile left atrium shape and see where the catheter is inside it...

Catheter ablation for the management of atrial fibrillation (AF) has evolved as a successful therapy widely used. Women with AF show a higher risk for AF-related morbidity due to stroke, a poorer tolerance to antiarrhythmic pharmacological therapy and a weaker quality of life; for this reason a curative, catheter-based approach for AF appears very attractive in women. Reported details on female...

Radiofrequency ablation has become a first-line approach for curative therapy of many cardiac arrhythmias. Various existing catheter designs provide high spatial resolution to identify the best spot for performing ablation and to assess lesion formation. However, creation of transmural and nonconducting ablation lesions requires usage of catheters with larger electrodes and improved thermal con...

Catheter ablation is increasingly offered to patients who suffer from symptoms due to atrial fibrillation (AF), based on a growing body of evidence illustrating its efficacy compared with antiarrhythmic drug therapy. Approximately one-third of AF ablation procedures are currently performed in patients with persistent or long-standing persistent AF. Here, we review the available information to g...