Evaluation of an integrated bipolar and unipolar ablation device.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: Bipolar lesion creation is accepted as the most effective method to create transmural atrial ablations. However, the creation of an ablation pattern on the left and the right atrium with current bipolar devices is difficult on the beating heart. We have evaluated a novel integrated ablation device that creates both bipolar and unipolar lesions in a linear pattern on the beating porcine heart. METHODS: Using six porcine models, we evaluated the effectiveness of creating beating heart ablation lesions by transmurality and conduction block. Isolating lesions were created on the left and right atria of the beating porcine heart. After we created sequential bipolar and unipolar lesions, we confirmed conduction block and examined the lesion depth histologically. RESULTS: Linear lesions were created successfully on the surface of the beating porcine heart. Conduction block at 20 mV was confirmed at all isolated areas, and 96.4% of the lesion sections had full thickness and were transmural at histology. CONCLUSIONS: This device enables unipolar and bipolar lesion creation in a linear and low-profile manner, enabling effective creation of a biatrial lesion pattern on the epicardial surface of the beating heart.