Arrhythmias & electrophysiology
First-in-human trial of atrial fibrillation ablation using real-time tissue optical assessment to predict pulsed field lesion durability
Authors' conclusion
This first-in-human study supports the use of real-time drop in tissue BiR for lesion assessment and durability during PFA delivery, and its procedural safety.
Study context
- Population
- Patients with paroxysmal AF undergoing pulmonary vein isolation (PVI) using single point irrigated pulsed field ablation (PFA) (AblaView®) with polarization-sensitive optical coherence reflectometry (PS-OCR) tissue birefringence assessment
- Participants
- 10 patients
- Comparison
- Durable lesions vs Reconnected areas
- Outcome
- Ability of PS-OCR to predict lesion durability
- Follow-up
- 3-month remapping
Methodological detailsRemapping at 3 months
- Remapping at 3 months
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
Loss of BiR during index PFA
P < 0.001
- PVs electrically reconnected at remap (8/10 patients ablated only with PFA)
- 12 PVs (37.5%)
Further findings
Acute PV isolation
- PVs isolated with the system
- 38/40
Drop of birefringence (BiR) during ablation
- Mean drop of BiR
- 17.3 ± 11.5%
- Persistent drop in BiR on dragging across ablation lines
Original publication
First-in-human trial of atrial fibrillation ablation using real-time tissue optical assessment to predict pulsed field lesion durability. Europace. Published 17 January 2025. doi:10.
Summarised from the published abstract; every number is checked against it