Abstract
To identify and characterize ablation lesions after radiofrequency (RF) catheter ablation of ventricular arrhythmias in patients without prior myocardial infarction and to correlate the ablation lesions with the amount of RF energy delivered and the clinical outcome. Visualization of RF energy lesions after ablation of ventricular arrhythmias might help to identify reasons for ablation failure. In a consecutive series of 35 patients (19 women, age: 48 +/- 15 years, ejection fraction: 0.56 +/- 0.12) without structural heart disease who were referred for ablation of ventricular arrhythmias, cardiac magnetic resonance imaging with delayed enhancement was performed before and after ablation. Ablation lesions were sought in the post-ablation cardiac magnetic resonance images. The endocardial area, depth, and volume of the lesions were measured. Lesion size was correlated with the type of ablation catheter used and the duration of RF energy delivered. In 25 of 35 patients (71%), ablation lesions were identified by delayed enhancement a mean of 22 +/- 12 months after the initial ablation procedure. The mean lesion volume was 1.4 +/- 1.4 cm(3), with a mean endocardial area of 3.5 +/- 3.0 cm(2). The largest lesions (mean volume of 2.9 +/- 2.1 cm(3) with an endocardial area of 6.4 +/- 3.4 cm(2)) were identified in patients in whom the arrhythmias originated in the papillary muscles. Ablation duration correlated with lesion size (r = 0.67, p < 0.001). There was no difference in lesion volume with irrigated versus nonirrigated ablation catheters (1.0 +/- 0.73 vs. 2.0 +/- 2.1 cm(3), p = 0.09). Identification of ablation lesions in patients with a failed procedure identified the sites where ineffective RF energy lesions were created. RF ablation lesions can be detected long term after an ablation procedure targeting ventricular arrhythmias in patients without previous infarction. Lesion size correlates with the amount of RF energy delivered and is largest when a targeted arrhythmia originates in a papillary muscle.
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Disclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.