title: Cavotricuspid isthmus ablation with large-tip gold alloy versus platinum-iridium-tip electrode catheters.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Gold has excellent electrical conductive properties and creates deeper and wider lesions than platinum-iridium during radiofrequency (RF) ablation in vitro. We tested the maximum voltage-guided technique (MVGT) of cavotricuspid isthmus (CTI) ablation using two 8-mm tip catheters containing gold (group G) or platinum-iridium (group PI).
  
  
  METHODS
  We enrolled 31 patients who underwent CTI ablation. In group G (n = 15) CTI ablation was performed with a gold-tip ablation catheter, while in group PI (n = 16) a platinum-iridium tip was used. Ablation was guided by CTI potentials with the highest amplitude until achievement of bidirectional block (BIB). If BIB was not achieved after 10 RF applications, RF was delivered via a 3.5-mm irrigated-tip catheter. Success rate, procedure duration, duration of fluoroscopic exposure, and number of RF applications were measured.
  
  
  RESULTS
  BIB was achieved in all patients in group G, while in group PI an irrigated tip was used in four patients (0% vs 25%, P < 0.001). These four patients required a total of 21 additional RF applications (5.25 +/- 2.22). Procedure time (56.4 +/- 12 vs 73.1 +/- 15 minutes P < 0.05) and fluoroscopic explosure (4.9 +/- 2.3 vs 7.1 +/- 3.8 minutes, P < 0.01) were shorter in group G than in group PI. Mean number of RF applications was lower (4.6 +/- 1.9 vs 6.6 +/- 3.1 P < 0.001) and total RF duration shorter (280 +/- 117 vs 480 +/- 310 seconds) in group G than in group PI. No difference was observed in the number of recurrences at a 6 month-follow up (1 in group G vs 1 in group PI).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Using the MVGT of CTI ablation, gold-tip catheters were associated with shorter procedural and fluoroscopic times, and fewer RF applications.
authors.affiliation: Gottsegen Gyorgy Hungarian Institute of Cardiology, Budapest, Hungary. dr.kardos@tonline.hu
authors.forename: Attila
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kardos
authors.forename: Csaba
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Foldesi
authors.forename: Attila
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mihalcz
authors.forename: Tamas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Szili-Torok
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000497:Alloys; D001282:Atrial Flutter / Q000601:surgery*; D017115:Catheter Ablation / Q000295:instrumentation*; D002404:Catheterization; D004566:Electrodes; D004867:Equipment Design; D019544:Equipment Failure Analysis; D005260:Female; D006046:Gold; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014261:Tricuspid Valve / Q000601:surgery*
chemical_list: D000497:Alloys; D006046:Gold