Cerebral thromboembolic risk in atrial fibrillation ablation: a direct comparison of vitamin K antagonists versus non-vitamin K-dependent oral anticoagulants.

PURPOSE: Cerebral thromboembolic events are well-known complications of pulmonary vein isolation (PVI) and can manifest as stroke or silent cerebral embolic lesions. The aim of this study was to compare the incidence of cerebral embolic lesions (including silent cerebral embolism and stroke) after AF ablation in patients on vitamin K antagonists versus patients on non-vitamin K-dependent oral anticoagulants, and to identify corresponding clinical and procedural risk factors. METHODS: A total of 421 patients undergoing PVI were prospectively included into the study. Of these, 43.7% were on VKA and 56.3% on NOAC treatment (dabigatran, rivaroxaban, apixaban, and edoxaban). In the NOAC group, 38% of patients had an interruption of anticoagulation for 24-36 h. All patients underwent pre- and postprocedural cerebral magnetic resonance imaging. RESULTS: Periprocedural cerebral lesions occurred in 13.1% overall. Of these, three (0.7%) resulted in symptomatic cerebrovascular accidents and 52 (12.4%) in silent cerebral embolic lesions. Incidence of cerebral lesions was significantly higher in patients on NOAC compared with VKA (16% vs. 9.2%, respectively, p = 0.04), and in patients who had intraprocedural cardioversions compared with no cardivoersions (19.5% vs. 10.4%, respectively, p = 0.03). In multivariate analysis, both parameters were found to be independent risk factors for cerebral embolism. No significant difference between interrupted and uninterrupted NOAC administration could be detected. CONCLUSIONS: In patients undergoing AF ablation, we identified the use of NOAC and intraprocedural cardioversion as independent risk factors for the occurrence of periprocedural cerebral embolic lesions.

Anatomic approach with bipolar ablation between the left pulmonic cusp and left ventricular outflow tract for left ventricular summit arrhythmias.

BACKGROUND: Radiofrequency catheter ablation (RFCA) of ventricular arrhythmias (VAs) arising from the inaccessible basal region of the left ventricular summit (LVS) is challenging due to proximity to coronary vessels, epicardial fat, and poor radiofrequency (RF) delivery within the distal coronary venous system. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to describe the outcomes of an anatomic approach to inaccessible LVS-VAs using bipolar radiofrequency (Bi-RFCA) delivered from the anatomically adjacent left pulmonic cusp (LPC) to the opposite left ventricular outflow tract (LVOT). METHODS: Patients from 3 centers who had undergone Bi-RFCA for inaccessible LVS-VAs refractory to conventional RFCA using an anatomic approach targeting the adjacent LPC (reversed U approach) with catheter tip pointing inferiorly within the LPC and LVOT were reviewed. RESULTS: Seven patients (age 59 ± 12 years; 3 women) underwent Bi-RF from the LPC to the LVOT for LVS-VAs after ≥1 failed conventional RFCA. Bi-RFCA (power 36 ± 7 W; duration 333 ± 107 seconds) resulted in VA suppression in 5 of 7 patients. In 2 cases, Bi-RFCA was successfully performed using dextrose 5% in water. No complications occurred. After mean follow-up of 14 ± 6 months, no recurrent VT was documented in 2 of 2 patients with baseline VT. Mean 84% reduction in premature ventricular contraction (PVC) burden (31% ± 13% vs 4% ± 5% PVCs per day; P = .0027) was documented in the other patients. CONCLUSION: In patients with LVS-VAs arising from the inaccessible region and refractory to conventional RFCA, an anatomic approach using Bi-RFCA from the LPC and opposite LVOT is an effective alternative approach.