Histopathology of Bipolar Radiofrequency Ablation in the Human Atrium

Surgical Excision of a Left Atrial Mobile Stalked Calcification Arising After Multiple Radiofrequency Ablations

“…This patient had no electrolyte abnormalities and no abnormal parathyroid function or laboratory results suggestive of osteoporosis, autoimmune disease, or Castleman disease that could lead to abnormal calcium metabolism. Because coagulation necrosis has been reported at autopsy of a patient who had undergone atrial RFCA, 3 and because the location of the calcification in our patient matched his previous RFCA sites, we hypothesize that our patient may have manifested a reaction similar to dystrophic calcinosis.…”

Histopathological Change Following Cox-Maze IV Procedure for Atrial Fibrillation

“…Deneke et al reported that transmurality of the ablated lesions could only be found in 75% in human atria [55]. Kasirajan et al reported the histopathological findings in three human patients who had autopsy after surgical ablation [53]. Their microscopic examination showed that (1) surgically ablated lesions showed not only transmural but also nontransmural lesions (Figure 6),…”

“…Although bipolar radiofrequency produces transmural linear lesions in the animals [51,52], transmurality is not always achieved in human, as several papers reported [53,54]. Deneke et al reported that transmurality of the ablated lesions could only be found in 75% in human atria [55].…”