title: Percutaneous isolation of multiple pulmonary veins using an expandable circular cryoablation catheter.
abstract: Although radiofrequency pulmonary vein (PV) ablation is effective in the treatment of atrial fibrillation (AF), it is associated with small but significant risks of PV stenosis and systemic thromboembolism. The characteristics of cryothermic tissue injury may reduce the likelihood of such complications, but using conventionally tipped cryoablation catheters can be time consuming and may, thus, not permit isolation of all PVs during a single procedure. We describe a case of rapid and effective isolation of all electrically connected PVs in a patient with paroxysmal AF, using a percutaneous self-expanding circular-tipped cryoablation catheter.
authors.affiliation: Waller Cardiology Department, St Mary's Hospital & Imperial College, London, United Kingdom. tom.wong@imperial.ac.uk
authors.forename: Tom
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Wong
authors.forename: Vias
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Markides
authors.forename: Nicholas S
authors.initials: NS
authors.lastname: Peters
authors.forename: Andrew R
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Wright
authors.forename: D Wyn
authors.initials: DW
authors.lastname: Davies
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001281:Atrial Fibrillation / Q000601:surgery*; D017115:Catheter Ablation / Q000295:instrumentation*; D003452:Cryosurgery / Q000295:instrumentation*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011667:Pulmonary Veins / Q000601:surgery*