Publications by authors named "Andres Altmann"
Article Synopsis
- During pulsed field ablation (PFA), researchers studied the impact of various parameters like contact force (CF) and number of bursts on lesion size in beating hearts using a specialized catheter in swine.
- The study involved 11 closed-chest swine and tested different levels of CF and burst pulses, measuring lesion size after euthanization with a specific staining technique.
- Results showed that higher CF and more burst pulses significantly increased lesion depth, with a reliable formula predicting lesion size, while impedance decrease and electrode temperature were not effective predictors.
Article Synopsis
- The study evaluated a new pulsed-field ablation (PFA) system targeting cardiac tissue by simulating pulmonary vein and superior vena cava isolation in pig models, focusing on safety and performance over 7 and 30 days.
- In the experiments, complete isolation of the targeted cardiac areas was achieved in all swine, showing effective and durable lesions without damaging surrounding tissues, including the phrenic nerve.
- Histological analysis revealed distinct zones of myocardial damage while preserving overall tissue architecture, with some mineralization and inflammation noted only in the short-term group.
Article Synopsis
- Pulsed field ablation (PFA) is a nonthermal method that shows potential safety benefits over traditional radiofrequency ablation, particularly when using a specialized catheter and mapping system in this study.
- The research involved 16 swine to test the effectiveness of PFA in creating reliable ablation lines and evaluating lesion durability after 30 days, as well as comparing the impacts on esophageal and nerve tissue against standard radiofrequency methods.
- Results indicated that PFA successfully created ablation lines in all subjects and preserved tissue integrity, showing minimal adverse effects on the esophagus and phrenic nerve compared to conventional radiofrequency ablation, which caused significant damage.
Aims: Delivery of high-power short-duration radiofrequency (RF) ablation lesions is not commonly used, in part because conventional thermocouple (TC) technology underestimates tissue temperature, increasing the risk of steam pop, and thrombus formation. We aimed to test whether utilization of an ablation catheter equipped with a highly accurate novel TC technology could facilitate safe and effective delivery of high-power RF lesions.
Methods And Results: Adult male Yorkshire swine were used for the study.
Background: Real-time radiofrequency (RF) ablation lesion assessment is a major unmet need in cardiac electrophysiology.
Objective: The purpose of this study was to assess whether improved temperature measurement using a novel thermocoupling (TC) technology combined with information derived from impedance change, contact force (CF) sensing, and catheter orientation allows accurate real-time prediction of ablation lesion formation.
Methods: RF ablation lesions were delivered in the ventricles of 15 swine using a novel externally irrigated-tip catheter containing 6 miniature TC sensors in addition to force sensing technology.