Background-We sought to determine the relationship between the size of the left atrial isolated surface area (ISA) after pulmonary vein antrum isolation for paroxysmal atrial fibrillation (AF) and rhythm outcome during a 12-month follow-up. Methods and Results-One hundred one consecutive patients with paroxysmal AF (mean age, 59±11 years; median [range] AF history, 36 months; mean left atrial size, 42±6 mm) were enrolled. The ISA was defined as the ratio of the total isolated antral surface area excluding the pulmonary veins to the sum of the total isolated antral surface area and the left atrial posterior wall surface area, while considering the individual characteristics of antral anatomy. All surface areas were assessed using the NavX system. Patients were divided into 4 groups according to ISA (group I: <50%; group II: 50 to <60%; group III: 60 to <70%; group IV: ≥70%). The average ISA for all patients was 59.2±11.6%. Subgroup analysis showed that ISA was 42.8±4.2% in group I (n=23), 54.2±3.0% in group II (n=23), 64.3±3.0% in group III (n=33), and 73.9±3.6% in group IV (n=22). After a 12-month follow-up period, 70% of patients in group I, 78% in group II, 97% in group III, and 100% in group IV were free from AF and atrial macroreentrant tachycardia. There was a significant difference between groups I and III, I and IV, II and III, and II and IV but not groups I and II and groups III and IV (logrank test P=0.024, 0.016, 0.037, 0.044, 0.584, and 0.500, respectively). Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis yielded an optimal cutoff value of 55% for ISA. Conclusions-After Methods Patient SelectionThe study was conducted on 101 consecutive patients with highly symptomatic, medically refractory paroxysmal AF, who had been treated with PVAI between January and December 2009. Paroxysmal AF was defined as a self-terminating AF of <1 week duration. Mapping and Ablation ProcedureBefore the procedure, transesophageal echocardiography was performed to exclude thrombus formation. Patients were studied under deep propofol sedation, breathing spontaneously. Standard electrode catheters were placed in the right ventricular apex and the coronary sinus, after which a single transseptal puncture was made. Unfractionated heparin was administered in bolus form immediately after the transseptal puncture to maintain an activated clotting time of >250 s. If AF occurred an external electrical cardioversion was performed to restore sinus rhythm. Mapping and ablation were performed using the NavX system (St. Jude Medical, Inc, St. Paul, MI) as a guide after integration of a 3-dimensional model of the left atrium (LA) and PV anatomy obtained from preinterventional computed tomography (CT), as described previously. 10 Before the ablation, the circular mapping catheter-reconstructed PV anatomies were aligned with the CT-PVs. Furthermore, the multipolar mapping catheter was replaced by a 4-mm M-curve irrigated tip ablation catheter (IBI Therapy Cooled Path; St Jude Medical, Inc). Fine adjustment of image integration was ach...

Combining GLS and LGE could be useful for risk stratification and prognostic assessment in patients with DCM.

BackgroundRhythm outcomes after the pulmonary vein isolation (PVI) using the cryoballoon (CB) are reported to be excellent. However, the lesions after CB ablation have not been well discussed. We sought to characterize and compare the lesion formation after CB ablation with that after radiofrequency (RF) ablation.MethodsA total of 42 consecutive patients who underwent PVI were enrolled (29 in the CB group and 13 in the RF group). The PVI lesions were assessed by late gadolinium enhancement magnetic resonance imaging 1–3 months after the PVI. The region around the PVs was divided into eight segments: roof, anterior‐superior, anterior‐carina, anterior‐inferior, bottom, posterior‐inferior, posterior‐carina, and posterior‐superior segment. The lesion width and lesion gap in each segment were compared between the two groups. Lesion gaps were defined as no‐enhancement sites of >4 mm.ResultsAs compared to the RF group, the overall lesion width was significantly wider and lesion gaps significantly fewer at the anterior‐superior segment of the left PV (LAS) and anterior‐inferior segment of the right PV (RAI) in the CB group (lesion width: 8.2 ± 2.2 mm vs 5.6 ± 2.0 mm, P = .001; lesion gap at LAS: 7% vs 38%, P = .02; lesion gap at RAI: 7% vs 46%, P = .006).ConclusionsThe PVI lesions after CB ablation were characterized by extremely wider and more continuous lesions than those after RF ablation.

Background: Pulmonary vein isolation (PVI) lesions after cryoballoon ablation (CBA) are characterized as a wider and more continuous than that after conventional radiofrequency catheter ablation (RFCA) without the contact force (CF)-sensing technology. However, the impact on the lesion characteristics of ablation with a CFsensing catheter has not been well discussed. We sought to assess the lesions using late-gadolinium enhancement magnetic resonance imaging (LGE-MRI) and to compare the differences between the two groups (CB group vs. RF group). Methods: A total of 30 consecutive patients who underwent PVI were enrolled (CB group, 18; RF group, 12). The RF applications were delivered with a target lesion size index (LSI) of 5. The PVI lesions were assessed by LGE-MRI 3 months after the PVI. The region around the PV was divided into eight segments: roof, anteriorsuperior, anterior carina, anterior inferior, bottom, posterior inferior, posterior carina, and posterior superior segment. The lesion width and visual gap of each segment were compared between the two groups. The visual gaps were defined as no-enhancement site of >4 mm. Results: The mean LSI was 4.7 ± 0.7. The lesion width was significantly wider but the visual gaps were more frequently documented at the bottom segment of right PV in the CBA group (lesion width: 8.1 ± 2.2 vs. 6.3 ± 2.2 mm; p = .032; visual gap at the bottom segment or right PV: 39% vs. 0%; p = .016). Conclusions: The PVI lesion was wider after CBA, while the visual gaps were fewer after RFCA with a CF-sensing catheter.

Transmural dispersion of repolarization and the number of patients with VT/VF decreased over time after CRT. Patients with reverse remodelling demonstrated a lower rate of VT/VF and a greater time-dependent reduction of TDR.