Arrhythmias & electrophysiologyResearch article
Feasibility and safety of ablation using a dual-energy, lattice-tip, map-and-ablate catheter in patients with mechanical heart valves
- Consecutive patients undergoing atrial catheter ablation near a mechanical valve using the Sphere-9 catheter were identified at 2 tertiary centers
- in vitro valve interaction testing
Authors' conclusion
Atrial ablation using a lattice-tip catheter seems feasible in patients with mechanical heart valves. No catheter entrapment or major complications were observed. However, given the small sample size, these findings should be interpreted as preliminary, and larger studies are needed to better assess safety and clinical outcomes.
Study context
- Population
- Patients with mechanical heart valves undergoing atrial catheter ablation near a mechanical valve using the Sphere-9 dual-energy, lattice-tip cathetermedian age 59 years, 56% male
- Participants
- 9 patients
- Outcome
- Primary safety endpoints: abortion of ablation because of catheter interference and procedural complications
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
Interference during ablation leading to abortion of individual applications, all during radiofrequency ablation, without preventing completion of the intended ablation strategy
3 patients
Further findings
Ablation lines anchored to a mechanical valve
- Ablation lines anchored to a mechanical valve
- 6 patients
- Radiofrequency ablation close to the valve
- 5 patients
- Pulsed-field ablation
- 1 patient
Freedom from recurrent atrial tachyarrhythmias (efficacy endpoint) · median follow-up of 114 days
- All patients were free from recurrent atrial tachyarrhythmias
In vitro bench testing of valve interaction
- No propensity of the lattice-tip catheter to become wedged within a bileaflet mechanical heart valve
Original publication
Summarised from the published abstract; every number is checked against it