Flow effect on lesion formation in RF cardiac catheter ablation.
This study investigated the flow effect on the lesion formation during radio-frequency cardiac catheter ablation in temperature-controlled mode. The blood flow in heart chambers carries heat away from the endocardium by convection. This cooling effect requires more power from the ablation generator and causes a larger lesion. We set up a flow system to simulate the flow inside the heart chamber. We performed in vitro ablation on bovine myocardium with three different flow rates (0 L/min, 1 L/min and 3 L/min) and two target temperatures (60 degrees C and 80 degrees C). During ablation, we also recorded the temperatures inside the myocardium with a three-thermocouple temperature probe. The results show that lesion dimensions (maximum depth, maximum width and lesion volume) are larger in high flow rates (p<0.01). Also, the temperature recordings show that the tissue temperature rises faster and reaches a higher temperature under higher flow rate.
Cao
H
H
Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 53706, USA.
Vorperian
V R
VR
Tungjitkusolmun
S
S
Tsai
J Z
JZ
Haemmerich
D
D
Choy
Y B
YB
Webster
J G
JG
D000818:Animals; D006348:Cardiac Surgical Procedures / Q000379:methods; D017115:Catheter Ablation / Q000379:methods*; D002417:Cattle; D006439:Hemodynamics / Q000502:physiology*; D008955:Models, Cardiovascular; D009206:Myocardium / Q000473:pathology