Effect of a proactive esophageal cooling device on procedure length - a multicenter comparison of persistent and paroxysmal atrial fibrillation

Abstract

Abstract Funding Acknowledgements Type of funding sources: None. Background During left atrial ablation for the treatment of atrial fibrillation (AF), effective esophageal protection is essential for reducing or preventing thermal injury. Traditional methods include luminal esophageal temperature (LET) monitoring that lead to frequent pauses in the procedure when temperature alarms alert operators to dangerous temperature levels. While there have been recent studies that demonstrate an association between active esophageal cooling and a reduction in procedure duration regardless of AF type, these retrospective studies have been conducted at single or joint centers which may lead to confounding from other time-saving variables that have changed over time. Purpose Consequently, we sought to perform a large-scale multicenter comparison to better elucidate the association between procedure length and the use of active cooling in patients with persistent and paroxysmal atrial fibrillation. Methods In this study, we collected data from three large hospital centers, one hospital-maintained registry, one physician-maintained registry, and one through EHR data review and aggregated in groups separated by AF type as well as whether the patients received active cooling or LET monitoring. We then compared median procedure durations in each group. Results There were a total of 753 patients included in this study. Of the 360 patients with paroxysmal AF, 179 received active esophageal cooling while 181 underwent LET monitoring. In the persistent AF group with 393 patients, 157 received active esophageal cooling and 236 underwent LET monitoring. Among patients with paroxysmal AF, the median mean procedure duration was 137 minutes in the LET monitored group, and 90 minutes in the actively cooled group with an overall reduction of 47 minutes (P<.001). In patients with persistent AF, the median procedure duration was 148 minutes in the LET monitored group and 94 minutes in the actively cooled group with an overall reduction of 54 minutes (P<.001). The relative reduction as a percent of total procedure time was 34%, and 36%, for paroxysmal and persistent AF cases, respectively. Conclusion In this large multicenter review, there is a significant reduction in procedure length when using active esophageal cooling, regardless of AF type.