Dissociated pulmonary vein rhythm may predict the acute pulmonary vein reconnection post-isolation in patients with paroxysmal atrial fibrillation.

AIMS: Dissociated pulmonary vein rhythm (PVD) has been taken as a signal of PV isolation, but has been questioned recently; we assessed the relationship between PVD and acute PV reconnection after PV isolation in this study. METHODS AND RESULTS: Eighty-five consecutive patients (52 males; mean age 59±11 years) were referred for catheter ablation of drug-refractory paroxysmal AF. Following PV isolation, the presence and cycle length of PVD were recorded. Pulmonary veins were classified into veins with PVD (Group 1) and veins without PVD (Group 2). Adenosine triphosphate (ATP) was then injected during isoproterenol infusion to reveal dormant conduction gap(s), and PVs were further remapped at 30 min post-isolation. Totally, PVD was observed in 68% (58 of 85) of patients and 34.7% (112 of 323) of PVs. Seventy-nine (24.5%) PVs were found acutely reconnected, including 48 veins revealed by ATP induction [ATP(+)PV] and 64 veins by reassessment after 30 min post-isolation [Time(+)PV]. Time(+)PVs were observed more frequently in Group 1 than those in Group 2 (31.3 vs. 13.7%, P<0.01), but no significant difference was found in the occurrence of ATP(+)PVs between Group 1 and Group 2 (17.9 vs. 13.3%, P=0.27). The sequences of the PVD and the acutely reconnected PV potential were similar in 87.5% of veins. After PV re-isolation, 70% (28 of 40) of previously documented PVD disappeared. CONCLUSION: The occurrence of PVD after PV isolation was closely related to the acute PV reconnection after 30 min post-isolation.

Early detection of pulmonary vein reconnection after isolation in patients with paroxysmal atrial fibrillation: a comparison of ATP-induction and reassessment at 30 minutes postisolation.

INTRODUCTION: Catheter ablation for paroxysmal AF (PAF) is limited by an unacceptable recurrence rate, mainly due to pulmonary vein (PV) reconnection. Strategies to minimize reconnection include adenosine infusion and also a waiting period of 30 minutes after PV isolation. The aim of the present study was to assess whether these two strategies revealed the same conduction gap. METHODS AND RESULTS: In total, 88 consecutive patients (54 males, mean age of 60 years) with drug refractory PAF underwent circumferential PV isolation (CPVI). After isolation of ipsilateral PVs, with entry and exit block checked using a circular mapping catheter, 20 mg ATP was injected during isoproterenol infusion to reveal dormant conduction gap(s). Unless the reconnection revealed by ATP persisted, PVs were further remapped with the circular mapping catheter at 30 minutes postisolation. Totally, PV reconnection was observed in 56 (64%) patients. 24.3% veins (80/329) were found reconnected. Reassessment at 30 minutes postablation was more efficient as compared to ATP induction (19.8% vs 14.6% for ATP). The agreement between these 2 methods is moderate (kappa value = 0.50). In veins that transiently reconnected after ATP administration and later observed at 30 minutes postablation, 94% (17 of 19) of them were found being reconnected with the same gap. CONCLUSION: Acute PV reconnection is common, occurring in 64% of patients, as detected by adenosine infusion and waiting time. Each shows a unique quality as compared to one another. The combined use of these 2 methods may reduce the AF recurrence rate after CPVI.