title: Contact force mapping and voltage thresholds during high-frequency stimulation of human cardiac ganglionated plexuses†.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The intrinsic cardiac nervous system consists of ganglionated plexuses (GPs) localized epicardially to specific regions of the left atrium (LA). The relation between voltage thresholds and endocardial contact force associated with autonomic effects during stimulation of GPs has not previously been evaluated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Sixteen patients with symptomatic atrial fibrillation (AF) underwent mapping of GPs prior to radiofrequency ablation of AF. Pre-acquired computed tomographic images were merged with 3D non-fluoroscopic electroanatomic mapping of the LA. Using high-frequency stimulation (HFS), the voltage thresholds of GPs was obtained while patients received conscious sedation. At each location, the contact force measurement from the catheter was correlated with the voltage applied during HFS at 5, 10, or 15 V to obtain an autonomic effect, usually associated with asystole, or marked bradycardia. There were 192 applications of HFS, resulting in GP identification in all patients (mean 3.4 per patient, range 1-5). During HFS, an autonomic response was significantly more likely to occur at 10 V as compared with 5 V (P < 0.008). There was no significant relation between the measured contact force and the likelihood of obtaining an autonomic response. When performing HFS at 15 V, a sudden overshoot with maximal values of contact force of up to 100 g was also observed. High-frequency stimulation was well tolerated, without associated adverse events.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  An autonomic response during HFS was significantly more likely to occur at 10 V as compared with 5 V. Although the GPs are epicardial structures, significant contact force was not required for their localization.
authors.affiliation: Division of Cardiology, University of Ottawa Heart Institute, 40 Ruskin, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada K1Y-4W7 rlemery@ottawaheart.ca.
authors.forename: Robert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Lemery
authors.affiliation: Division of Cardiology, University of Ottawa Heart Institute, 40 Ruskin, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada K1Y-4W7.
authors.forename: Mark
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Cleland
authors.affiliation: Division of Cardiology, University of Ottawa Heart Institute, 40 Ruskin, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada K1Y-4W7.
authors.forename: Jordan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Bernick
authors.affiliation: Division of Cardiology, University of Ottawa Heart Institute, 40 Ruskin, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada K1Y-4W7.
authors.forename: George A
authors.initials: GA
authors.lastname: Wells
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D001281:Atrial Fibrillation / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000601:surgery; D018780:Body Surface Potential Mapping / Q000379:methods*; D004558:Electric Stimulation / Q000379:methods*; D005725:Ganglia, Autonomic / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D016343:Monitoring, Intraoperative / Q000379:methods*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013314:Stress, Mechanical
keywords: Atrial fibrillation; Autonomics; Catheter ablation; Contact force