title: Support adapter for radiofrequency ablation probe: experimental study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The purpose of the present study was to experimentally evaluate a new support adapter, which was created in order to insure a more complete contact between the ablation probe and a beating heart.
  
  
  METHODS
  Support sleeve adapters for the Cobra Cooled probe were fashioned using a semi-rigid plastic. Forty epicardial radiofrequency ablation (RFA) lesions were created on both atria under the condition of a beating heart in six pigs weighing 26-30 kg. A Cobra Cooled surgical probe was used with continuous internal irrigation of a saline solution (500 mL/h). The ablation temperature was fixed at 80 degrees C and the duration of the RFA in each case was 20, 30 and 60 s.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A support adapter ensured a more complete epicardial contact between the probe and a beating heart. An RFA probe supported by the adapter delivered greater power to the tissue. The histopathological transmural coagulation was obtained in 82% and 72% in RFA lesions with and without the adaptor, respectively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A new adapter was effective in the epicardial RFA under the condition of a beating heart.
authors.affiliation: Second Department of Surgery, Gunma University Faculty of Medicine, Maebashi, Gunma, Japan. skyishikawa@cronos.ocn.ne.jp
authors.forename: Susumu
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ishikawa
authors.forename: Shigeru
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Oki
authors.forename: Masato
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Muraoka
authors.forename: Kenji
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kashiwabara
authors.forename: Yasuo
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Morishita
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D006348:Cardiac Surgical Procedures / Q000295:instrumentation*; D017115:Catheter Ablation / Q000295:instrumentation*; D004867:Equipment Design; D023421:Models, Animal; D013552:Swine