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Safety and Feasibility of Contrast Injection During Pulmonary Vein Isolation with the nMARQ™ Multi-Electrode Catheter


Pulmonary vein isolation (PVI) using the irrigated multi-electrode ablation system (nMARQ™) remains challenging in complex atrial anatomy cases and when CARTOMERGE™ technology is not available, due to absence of a leading guide-wire. Our objective was to assess feasibility and safety of PVI using nMARQ™ catheter with intra-procedural contrast injections through the deflectable sheath compared to nMARQ™ alone. This is a prospective non-randomized observational study of 78 consecutive patients who underwent PVI only with nMARQ™. The first group (n=37, 64±10.5 years, 62% male, 13.5% persistent AF) underwent the procedure with the guidance of signal mapping, fluoroscopy, and electro-anatomical mapping (EAM) alone. Since 12/2013 an automatic closed-loop contrast media injector was added to improve catheter location (n=41, 62.5±11 years, 71% male, 34% persistent AF). Total procedure time was 78±19 and 85.5±18.5 minutes, and mean fluoroscopy time was 30±9 and 29.5±8.7 minutes for the first and second groups, respectively (NS); acute success rate was 97% and 97.5%, with a mean of 14.7±5 and 17.6±5.4 RF applications, respectively (p=0.02); and mean total burning time of 10.3±3.6 and 12±4 minutes, respectively (p=0.08). Mean contrast used was 60±18 mL versus 203±65 mL, with no effect on renal function or major complications. One year freedom from AF was 77% and 83%, respectively (p=0.5). Addition of contrast injections to standard nMARQ™ procedure is feasible and safe. This tool may have an added value to EAM in catheter localization by newly trained operators and in selective cases of large/common PV anatomy.

Credits: Avishag Laish-Farkash;Amos Katz;Ornit Cohen; Evgeny Fishman;Chaim Yosefy;Vladimir Khalameizer


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