Two-Year Follow-Up after Contact Force Sensing Radiofrequency Catheter and Second-Generation Cryoballoon Ablation for Paroxysmal Atrial Fibrillation: A Comparative Single Centre Study.
Background. There are little comparative data on catheter ablation of paroxysmal atrial fibrillation (AF) using the contact force radiofrequency (CF-RF) catheter versus the second-generation cryoballoon (CB2). Methods and results. This is a single center, retrospective, nonrandomized study of 98 patients with symptomatic, drug-refractory paroxysmal AF who underwent their first PVI ablation using either the CB2 (n = 40) or CF-RF (n = 58). The mean age was 60 years with 63% men, a mean LA size of 42 mm. The procedure duration (74 ± 17 versus 120 ± 49 minutes p < 0.05) was shorter for CB2 group; the fluoroscopy time (14 ± 17 versus 16 ± 5 minutes, p = 0.45) was similar. Complete PVI was achieved in 96% of patients with RF-CF and 98% with CB2. Phrenic nerve palsies (2 transient and 1 persistent) occurred exclusively in the CB2 group and 1 severe, nonlethal complication (pericardial tamponade) occurred in the CF-RF group. At 24-month follow-up, the success rate, defined as freedom from AF/atrial tachycardia (AT) after a single procedure without antiarrhythmic drug, was comparable in CF-RF group and CB2 group (65.5% versus 67%, resp., log rank p = 0.54). Conclusion. Both the CB2 and the RF-CF ablation appeared safe; the success rate at 2 years was comparable between both technologies.
Department of Cardiac Electrophysiology, Gottsegen Gyorgy National Institute of Cardiology, Haller Street 29, Budapest 1096, Hungary.
Attila
A
Kardos
Department of Clinical Electrophysiology, Erasmus Medical Center, 's-Gravendijkwal 230, Postbus 2040, 3015 CE Rotterdam, Netherlands.
Zsuzsanna
Z
Kis
Department of Cardiac Electrophysiology, Gottsegen Gyorgy National Institute of Cardiology, Haller Street 29, Budapest 1096, Hungary.
Zoltan
Z
Som
Department of Cardiac Electrophysiology, Gottsegen Gyorgy National Institute of Cardiology, Haller Street 29, Budapest 1096, Hungary.
Zsofia
Z
Nagy
Department of Cardiac Electrophysiology, Gottsegen Gyorgy National Institute of Cardiology, Haller Street 29, Budapest 1096, Hungary.
Csaba
C
Foldesi
D000368:Aged; D000925:Anticoagulants / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001281:Atrial Fibrillation / Q000628:therapy*; D017115:Catheter Ablation / Q000379:methods*; D003452:Cryosurgery / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D005471:Fluoroscopy; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D053208:Kaplan-Meier Estimate; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011846:Radio Waves; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D000925:Anticoagulants