Ambient circulation surrounding an ablation catheter tip affects ablation lesion characteristics

IntroductionThe association between ambient circulating environments (CEs) and ablation lesions has been largely underexplored. MethodsViable bovine myocardium was placed in a saline bath in an ex vivo endocardial model. Radiofrequency (RF) ablation was performed using three different ablation catheters: 3.5 mm open irrigated (OI), 4, and 8 mm. Variable flow rates of surrounding bath fluids were applied to simulate standard flow, high flow, and no flow. For in vivo epicardial ablation, 24 rats underwent a single OI ablation and performed with circulating saline (30 ml/min; n = 12), versus those immersed in saline without circulation (n = 12). ResultsHigh flow reduced ablation lesion volumes for all three catheters. In no-flow endocardial CE, both 4 mm and OI catheters produced smaller lesions compared with standard flow. However, the 8 mm catheter produced the largest lesions in a no-flow CE. Ablation performed in an in vivo model with CE resulted in smaller lesions compared with ablation performed in a no-flow environment. No statistically significant differences in steam pops were found among the groups. ConclusionA higher endocardial CE flow can decrease RF effectiveness. Cardiac tissue subjected to no endocardial CE flow may also limit RF for 4 mm catheters, but not for OI catheters; these findings may have implications for RF ablation safety and efficacy, especially in the epicardial space without circulating fluid or in the endocardium under varying flow conditions.

Automated summary

The flow rate of the surrounding fluid in different environments has an impact on the effectiveness of radiofrequency ablation, with smaller lesions observed under high flow conditions. In the absence of flow, smaller lesions were produced by the 4 mm and open irrigated catheters, while larger lesions were observed with the 8 mm catheter. In an in vivo model, ablation performed in an environment with fluid circulation resulted in smaller lesions. These findings have significant implications for the safety and efficacy of radiofrequency ablation.