Ablation Index-guided point-by-point ablation versus Grid annotation-guided dragging for pulmonary vein isolation: A randomized controlled trial.

Introduction: Radiofrequency (RF) atrial fibrillation (AF) ablation using a catheter dragging technique may shorten procedural duration and improve durability of pulmonary vein isolation (PVI) by creating uninterrupted linear ablation lesions. We compared a novel AF ablation approach guided by Grid annotation allowing for "drag lesions" with a standard point-by-point ablation approach in a single-center randomized study.

Methods: Eighty-eight paroxysmal or persistent AF patients were randomized 1:1 to undergo RF-PVI with either a catheter dragging ablation technique guided by Grid annotation or point-by-point ablation guided by Ablation Index (AI) annotation.

Impact of local left atrial wall thickness on the incidence of acute pulmonary vein reconnection after Ablation Index-guided atrial fibrillation ablation.

Background: Although Ablation Index (AI)-guided ablation facilitates creation of lesions of consistent depth, pulmonary vein (PV) reconnection is still commonly observed after AI-guided pulmonary vein isolation (PVI). The present study aimed to investigate the impact of local left atrial wall thickness on the incidence of acute PV reconnection after AI-guided atrial fibrillation (AF) ablation.

Methods And Results: Seventy patients (63% paroxysmal AF, 67% male, mean age 63 ± 8 years) who underwent preprocedural CT imaging and AI-guided AF ablation were studied.

Mutation of a common amino acid in NKX2.5 results in dilated cardiomyopathy in two large families.

Background: The genetic basis for dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) can be difficult to determine, particularly in familial cases with complex phenotypes. Next generation sequencing may be useful in the management of such cases.

Methods: We report two large families with pleiotropic inherited cardiomyopathy.