title: A Preclinical Study of an Implanted Device in the Pulmonary Veins, Intended for the Treatment of Atrial Fibrillation in an Ovine Model.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Atrial fibrillation is the most frequent arrhythmia in adults of which the interventional cure is hampered by high recurrence rates. Recurrence after ablation is due to an incomplete isolation of the pulmonary veins. A new ablation technique was performed, in the antra of ovine pulmonary veins, by device implantation, which was heated through a wireless heat-generating system.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Implants were placed transatrially in the pulmonary veins of sheep. Using a wireless heating system, the energy was afterward transferred through wires to the implanted device according to a defined protocol. The position of the implant and the applied lesions were macroscopically evaluated. Samples of the ablated tissue of the atrio-pulmonary vein junction were histologically and immunohistochemically examined.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Six ablation procedures in four sheep were successfully performed without adverse cardiac reactions. Implantation of the device and the wireless heat generation was feasible. Sufficient heat was produced at the level of the antra of the pulmonary veins to create ablation lesions, which were histologically and immunohistochemically confirmed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Morphology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Merelbeke, Belgium.
authors.forename: Tim
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Vandecasteele
authors.affiliation: AZ Groeninge Medical Hospital, Department of Cardiology, Kortrijk, Belgium.
authors.forename: Tim
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Boussy
authors.affiliation: Fulgur Medical, Merelbeke, Belgium.
authors.forename: Matthew
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Philpott
authors.affiliation: Fulgur Medical, Merelbeke, Belgium.
authors.forename: Eli
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Clement
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery and Anaesthesia of Domestic Animals, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Merelbeke, Belgium.
authors.forename: Stijn
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Schauvliege
authors.affiliation: Department of Morphology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Merelbeke, Belgium.
authors.forename: Wim
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: VAN DEN Broeck
authors.affiliation: Department of Large Animal Internal Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Merelbeke, Belgium.
authors.forename: Gunther
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: VAN Loon
authors.affiliation: Department of Morphology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Merelbeke, Belgium.
authors.forename: Pieter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Cornillie
authors.affiliation: Fulgur Medical, Merelbeke, Belgium.
authors.forename: Glenn
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: VAN Langenhove
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001281:Atrial Fibrillation / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000517:prevention & control*; D017115:Catheter Ablation / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods; D002408:Catheters, Indwelling; D004867:Equipment Design; D019544:Equipment Failure Analysis; D006329:Heart Conduction System / Q000503:physiopathology*; D011667:Pulmonary Veins / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000601:surgery*; D012756:Sheep; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D059015:Wireless Technology / Q000295:instrumentation
keywords: ablation; electromagnetic heating; implant; sheep; wireless