Higher contact-force values associated with better mid-term outcome of paroxysmal atrial fibrillation ablation using the SmartTouch™ catheter
Open Access
- 3 October 2014
- journal article
- research article
- Published by Oxford University Press (OUP) in EP Europace
- Vol. 17 (1), 56-63
- https://doi.org/10.1093/europace/euu218
Abstract
Real-time measurement of contact force (CF) during catheter ablation of atrial fibrillation (AF) has been recently suggested to potentially impact procedural outcome. However, the role of CF intensity on mid-term results using the SmartTouch™ catheter has not been investigated so far. Pulmonary vein isolation (PVI) using the SmartTouch™ catheter was performed in 100 eligible patients (age 62 ± 8; 79% men) undergoing a first procedure of paroxysmal AF catheter ablation. Continuous CF monitoring during catheter ablation allowed calculation of mean CF per patient. Patients were dichotomized into high CF (≥22 g, upper quartile) and low CF (30 s. The average CF among all procedures was 19.6 ± 3.7 g. Though complete PVI was eventually achieved in all cases in both groups, success using an exclusively anatomical approach was higher in the high CF group (92.0 vs. 72.0%; P = 0.04). During a mean follow-up of 19 ± 5 months, a lower incidence of AF relapse was observed in higher CF patients (4.0 vs. 20.0%; log rank P = 0.04). Pericardial tamponade occurred in one patient in the higher CF group. No thromboembolism or procedure-associated deaths were observed. Higher values of CF overall during antral PVI appear to be associated with a higher likelihood of sinus rhythm maintenance without significantly increasing the complication rate.Keywords
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