Po-05-232 safety and efficacy of atrioventricular nodal reentry tachycardia ablation using an irrigated contact force catheter

Atrioventricular Nodal Reentry Tachycardia (AVNRT) ablation is a common procedure in contemporary electrophysiology practice. Traditionally ablation for AVNRT has been performed with non-irrigated catheters, guided by fluoroscopy and intracardiac electrograms. Increasingly electroanatomic mapping systems are utilized to allow for low or zero fluoroscopy procedures. Contact force catheters can provide information on tissue contact and stability that can be helpful in patients with challenging anatomy. Available contact force catheters are irrigated and concern has existed for using irrigated tip ablation catheters for AVNRT ablation due to the potential to create lesions that are too deep and could increase the risk for AV block. To describe the safety and efficacy for the use of irrigated contact force catheters for ablation of AVNRT Review of procedural data from patients undergoing radiofrequency ablation for AVNRT using electroanatomical mapping combined with irrigated contact force catheter. Fifty patients from 4 regions across Australia were included. Procedures were performed by 9 experienced electrophysiologists. No periprocedural complications occurred. Procedural success was achieved in 96%. Median lesion contact force (25-75 centile) was 4.0(2-6)g. Peak power was set at 50W, median baseline irrigation was at 2ml/min and 6ml/min during ablation. Median number of lesions was 9(4.5-17.5); with total ablation time of 203(95-366) seconds. 60% of the cases were performed without fluoroscopy. Ablation of AVNRT using an irrigated contact force catheter on low irrigation setting is safe and effective. Contact force catheters using low irrigation settings may safely improve success rates in AVNRT with challenging anatomy or ablation of other substrate in close proximity to vital structures.