Incidence of phrenic nerve injury during pulmonary vein isolation using different cryoballoons: data from a large prospective ablation registry.

AIMS: Phrenic nerve injury (PNI) is the most common complication during cryoballoon ablation. Currently, two cryoballoon systems are available, yet the difference is unclear. We sought to compare the acute procedural efficacy and safety of the two cryoballoons. METHODS: This prospective observational study consisted of 2,555 consecutive atrial fibrillation (AF) patients undergoing pulmonary vein isolation (PVI) using either conventional (Arctic Front Advance) (AFA-CB) or novel cryoballoons (POLARx) (POLARx-CB) at 19 centers between January 2022 and October 2023. RESULTS: Among 2,555 patients (68.8 ± 10.9 years, 1,740 men, paroxysmal AF[PAF] 1,670 patients), PVIs were performed by the AFA-CB and POLARx-CB in 1,358 and 1,197 patients, respectively. Touch-up ablation was required in 299(11.7%) patients. The touch-up rate was significantly lower for POLARx-CB than AFA-CB (9.5% vs. 13.6%, p = 0.002), especially for right inferior PVs (RIPVs). The touch-up rate was significantly lower for PAF than non-PAF (8.8% vs. 17.2%, P < 0.001) and was similar between the two cryoballoons in non-PAF patients. Right PNI occurred in 64(2.5%) patients and 22(0.9%) were symptomatic. It occurred during the right superior PV (RSPV) ablation in 39(1.5%) patients. The incidence was significantly higher for POLARx-CB than AFA-CB (3.8% vs. 1.3%, P < 0.001) as was the incidence of symptomatic PNI (1.7% vs. 0.1%, P < 0.001). The difference was significant during RSPV (2.5% vs. 0.7%, P < 0.001) but not RIPV ablation. The PNI recovered more quickly for the AFA-CB than POLARx-CB. CONCLUSIONS: Our study demonstrated a significantly higher incidence of right PNI and lower touch-up rate for the POLARx-CB than AFA-CB in the real-world clinical practice.

Clinical experience of idarucizumab use in cases of cardiac tamponade under uninterrupted anticoagulation of dabigatran during catheter ablation of atrial fibrillation.

Anticoagulants are prescribed for prevention of thromboembolic events (TE) of atrial fibrillation (AF), however, their effects have a negative impact on disastrous bleeding outcomes. Idarucizumab was developed to reverse the anticoagulation effects of dabigatran. This study aimed to retrospectively investigate the clinical efficacy and safety of idarucizumab in the setting of progressive emergent bleeding events associated with catheter ablation (CA). Dabigatran is given uninterruptedly as an anticoagulant in patients undergoing CA of AF. The capacity of idarucizumab to reverse the anticoagulant effects of dabigatran in patients with cardiac tamponade associated with CA was examined by measuring the activated partial thromboplastin time (aPTT), active clotting time (ACT), and prothrombin international normalizing ratio (PT-INR). The primary endpoint was effective hemostasis. This analysis included 21 patients receiving idarucizumab, given for restoration of hemostasis. In all 21 patients, hemostasis was restored at a median of 205.6 ± 14.8 min. Normal intraoperative cessation of bleeding was reported in 16 patients, and completion of hemostasis was also ascertained in the remaining four within 5 h. No TEs occurred within 72 h after the idarucizumab administration. Despite a significant reduction in the aPTT and ACT, no significant change was observed in PT-INR after administering idarucizumab. In emergency situations, idarucizumab was able to reverse dabigatran within a relatively short period without any serious adverse events.

Oesophageal cooling with ice water does not reduce the incidence of oesophageal lesions complicating catheter ablation of atrial fibrillation: randomized controlled study.

AIM: Atrial fibrillation (AF) ablation can result in oesophageal injuries that lead to atrio-oesophageal fistulae, a life-threatening complication. This study aimed to evaluate whether oesophageal cooling could prevent oesophageal lesions complicating AF ablation. METHODS AND RESULTS: We randomly assigned 100 patients with drug-resistant AF to an oesophageal cooling group or a control group. In the oesophageal cooling group, we injected 5 mL of ice water into the oesophagus prior to radiofrequency (RF) energy delivery adjacent to the oesophagus. If the oesophageal temperature reached 42°C, the RF energy delivery was stopped, and the ice water injection was repeated. In the control group, oesophageal cooling was not applied. Oesophageal endoscopy was performed 1 day after the catheter ablation, and lesions were qualitatively assessed as mild, moderate, or severe. The numbers of ablation sites with an oesophageal temperature of >42°C were 1.7 ± 1.4 and 2.6 ± 1.7 in the oesophageal cooling group and the control group, respectively (P = 0.04), and the maximal oesophageal temperature at those sites was 43.0 ± 0.6 and 44.7 ± 0.9°C (P < 0.0001). Oesophageal lesions occurred almost equally between the oesophageal cooling group [10 of 50 patients (20%)] and the control group [11 of 50 patients (22%)]. However, the severity of the oesophageal lesions was slightly milder in the oesophageal cooling group (three moderate, seven mild) than in the control group (three severe, one moderate, seven mild). CONCLUSION: Oesophageal cooling may alleviate the severity of oesophageal lesions but does not reduce the incidence of this complication under the specific protocol evaluated here.

Adjunctive posterior wall isolation for the treatment of persistent and longstanding persistent atrial fibrillation (CORNERSTONE AF) trial: Design and rationale.

BACKGROUND: A left atrial posterior wall isolation (LAPWI) is one of the atrial fibrillation (AF) ablation strategies. HYPOTHESIS: We hypothesized that an additional empirical LAPWI would increase the freedom from recurrent atrial arrhythmias as compared to standard AF ablation in persistent AF patients. METHODS: The CORNERSTONE AF study is a prospective, randomized, multicenter study investigating patients with AF persisting for >7 days and <3 years undergoing first-time AF ablation. They will be randomized to pulmonary vein isolation (PVI) or PVI + LAPWI in a 1:1 manner. Although PVI can be performed with either radiofrequency catheters or cryoballoons, only radiofrequency catheters will be permitted to achieve LAPWIs. Additional focal ablation targeting non-pulmonary vein triggers will be allowed. A total of 516 patients will be enrolled in 17 centers between August 2022 and February 2024 based on the calculation with 80% power, considering the assumption that 65% and 75% of the PVI and PVI + LAPWI group patients will be free from atrial arrhythmia recurrence 18-months postprocedure (10% of dropout). The primary endpoint is freedom from documented atrial arrhythmias 18 months postsingle procedures. Clinical follow-up will include 7-day ambulatory electrocardiograms and routine outpatient consultations by electrophysiologists at 1, 3, 6, 9, 12, and 18 months postprocedure. RESULTS: As of August 2023, a total of 331 patients (68 ± 9 years, 270 men, 43 longstanding persistent AF) have been enrolled. CONCLUSIONS: The CORNERSTONE AF study is a prospective, randomized, multicenter trial designed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of an adjunctive empirical LAPWI following standard AF ablation in persistent AF patients.

Successful off-pump reimplantation of the anomalous right coronary artery from the pulmonary artery: A case report.

Anomalous origin of the right coronary artery from the pulmonary artery (ARCAPA) is a rare occurrence that requires surgical repair, typically via cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB). In this study, we present the case of a patient with ARCAPA with a high risk of cerebral infarction and left main trunk stenosis. However, because of the high risk of cerebral infarction, CPB was no longer an option during surgical intervention. Instead, we performed off-pump reimplantation of the ARCAPA to the ascending aorta and coronary artery bypass grafting of the left coronary artery. The patient had an uneventful postoperative course. Based on the successful outcomes of this case, we suggest off-pump reimplantation of the ARCAPA to the ascending aorta as a useful alternative for patients who are not eligible to undergo CPB during surgical repair. .

Endothelial dysfunction in paroxysmal atrial fibrillation as a prothrombotic state. Comparison with permanent/persistent atrial fibrillation.

AIM: Atrial fibrillation (AF), regardless of subtype, is associated with a prothrombotic state, which is related to endothelial dysfunction (ED).We hypothesized that paroxysmal atrial fibrillation (PAF) patients have endothelial dysfunction, and this may partially explain the high thromboembolic risk and poorer outcome in this category of patients. METHODS: The study population consisted of 100 consecutive outpatients with AF (mean age 65.9±7.9 years; 68 (68%) male) and 21 characteristics and comorbidity matched control subjects (mean age 64.8±7.0 years; 13 (61.9%) male). AF patients were divided into the PAF group (n=50) and permanent/persistent AF (PeAF) group (n=50).Reactive hyperemia pulse amplitude tonometry index (RHI) was measured to evaluate endothelial function. RESULTS: RHI was significantly lower in the PAF (1.67±0.30) and PeAF (1.63±0.28) groups in comparison with control subjects (2.12±0.40, both p< 0.001). There was no significant difference in RHI between the PAF and PeAF groups (p= 0.88). On linear regression analysis, both PeAF and PAF are significant independent predictors of RHI. CONCLUSIONS: In conclusion, ED in PAF patients was comparable to PeAF patients, and the presence of PAF itself is a contributing factor for ED independent of other coexisting comorbidities. This may provide a mechanism explaining why the risk of thromboembolism in PAF is comparable with PeAF patients.