Acute pericarditis following second-generation cryoballoon ablation for atrial fibrillation.

Purpose: Acute pericarditis is a minor complication following atrial fibrillation (AF) ablation procedures. The aim of the study was to evaluate the incidence and clinical aspects of pericarditis following cryoballoon (CB) ablation of AF investigating a possible association with procedural characteristics and a possible relationship with post-ablation recurrences.

Methods: Four hundred fifty consecutive patients (male 73%, age 59.

Role of Electrocardiographic Tpeak-Tend for the Prediction of Ventricular Arrhythmic Events in the Brugada Syndrome.

Some previous studies have proposed the electrocardiographic Tpeak-Tend (TpTe) as a possible predictor of ventricular arrhythmic events in patients with Brugada syndrome (BrS). We sought to analyze the association between the parameters of repolarization dispersion (TpTe, TpTe/QT, TpTe dispersion, QTc, and QTd) and ventricular fibrillation/sudden cardiac death in a large cohort of patients with type 1 BrS. A total of 448 consecutive patients with BrS (men 61%, age 45 ± 16 years) with spontaneous (n = 96, 21%) or drug-induced (n = 352, 79%) type 1 electrocardiogram were retrospectively included.

Comparison of the Incidences of Complications After Second-Generation Cryoballoon Ablation of Atrial Fibrillation Using Vitamin K Antagonists Versus Novel Oral Anticoagulants.

Data evaluating the impact of the periprocedural administration of novel oral anticoagulants (NOACs) on complications in the setting of pulmonary vein (PV) isolation using cryoballoon (CB) is limited. In the present study, our aim was to analyze procedural characteristics and incidence of complications in those patients who underwent CB ablation for atrial fibrillation and the impact of NOACs on adverse events compared with vitamin K antagonists (VKAs). Consecutive patients with drug resistant atrial fibrillation who underwent PV isolation by CB as index procedure were retrospectively included in our analysis.

Efficacy and safety of the second generation cryoballoon ablation for the treatment of paroxysmal atrial fibrillation in patients over 75 years: a comparison with a younger cohort.

Aims: In this double centre, retrospective study, we aimed to analyse the 1-year efficacy and safety of cryoballoon ablation (CB-A) in patients older than 75 years compared with those younger than 75-years old.

Methods And Results: Fifty-three consecutive patients aged 75 years or older with drug-resistant paroxysmal AF (PAF) who underwent pulmonary vein isolation (PVI) by the means of second generation CB-A, were compared with 106 patients aged <75 years. The mean age in the study group (>75 years) was 78.

Long-term outcome of pulmonary vein isolation in patients with paroxysmal atrial fibrillation and Brugada syndrome.

Aims: The therapeutical management of atrial fibrillation (AF) in the setting of Brugada syndrome (BS) might be challenging as many antiarrhythmic drugs (AADs) with sodium channel blocking properties might lead to to the development of ventricular arrhythmias. This study sought to evaluate the clinical outcome in a consecutive series of patients with BS having undergone pulmonary vein (PV) isolation by means of radiofrequency (RF) or cryoballoon (CB) ablation and the efficacy of catheter ablation for preventing inappropriate interventions delivered by implantable cardioverter defibrillators (ICD) on a 3-year follow up.

Methods And Results: Twenty-three consecutive patients with BS (13 males; mean age was 47 ± 18 years) having undergone PV isolation for drug-resistant paroxysmal AF were enrolled.

Second generation cryoballoon ablation for atrial fibrillation in young adults: midterm outcome in patients under 40 years of age.

Aims: Pulmonary vein isolation (PVI) has been demonstrated more effective in young patients, in which the substrate for atrial fibrillation (AF) is probably more confined to pulmonary vein potentials. The present study sought to focus on the midterm outcomes in patients under 40 years having undergone PVI with the Cryoballoon Advance because of drug resistant AF.

Methods And Results: Between June 2012 and December 2015, 57 patients having undergone Cryoballoon ablation (CB-A) below 40 years of age for AF in our centre were retrospectively analysed and considered for our analysis.

Second-generation cryoballoon ablation without the use of real-time recordings: A novel strategy based on a temperature-guided approach to ablation.

Background: The achievement of -40°C within the first 60 seconds during cryoenergy applications has proven to independently predict durable pulmonary vein (PV) isolation in the setting of second-generation cryoballoon (CB-A; Medtronic, Minneapolis, MN) ablation.

Objective: We sought to evaluate a strategy based on the attainment of the specific parameter of -40°C within the first 60 seconds during cryoenergy applications in the setting of CB-A ablation without the use of an inner lumen mapping catheter (Achieve, Medtronic) for the visualization of real-time recordings.

Methods: A total of 52 patients having undergone CB ablation for paroxysmal atrial fibrillation (AF) between 1 February 2015 and 30 June 2015 who underwent a temperature-guided approach based on achieving -40°C within 60 seconds without real-time recordings (wire group) were compared with a cohort of 52 propensity score-matched patients having undergone CB ablation performed with an inner lumen mapping catheter (Achieve group).

Cryoballoon ablation during atrial fibrillation is associated with faster temperature drop and lower freezing temperatures.

Purpose: Our aim was to analyse the temperature behaviour during second-generation cryoballoon ablation (CB-A) in patients with ongoing atrial fibrillation (AF) compared with those in sinus rhythm (SR).

Methods: Consecutive patients with drug-resistant AF who underwent pulmonary vein (PV) isolation by CB-A from April 2014 to May 2015 were analysed. The exclusion criteria were any contraindication for the procedure including the presence of an intracavitary thrombus, uncontrolled heart failure, contraindications to general anaesthesia and cardioversion to SR during the ablation procedure.

Femoral venous pressure waveform as indicator of phrenic nerve injury in the setting of second-generation cryoballoon ablation.

Aims: Femoral venous pressure waveform (VPW) analysis has been recently described as a novel method to assess phrenic nerve function during atrial fibrillation ablation procedures by means of the cryoballoon technique. In this study, we sought to evaluate the feasibility and effectiveness of this technique, with respect to the incidence of phrenic nerve injury (PNI), in comparison with the traditional abdominal palpation technique alone.

Methods: Consecutive patients undergoing second-generation cryoballoon ablation (CB-A) from June 2014 to June 2015 were retrospectively analyzed.

Second-Generation Cryoballoon Ablation in the Setting of Lone Paroxysmal Atrial Fibrillation: Single Procedural Outcome at 12 Months.

Background: Lone atrial fibrillation (LAF) develops in younger individuals without cardiovascular or pulmonary disease. As pulmonary vein isolation has been recognized as an optimal treatment for drug-resistant atrial fibrillation, cryoballoon ablation with second-generation balloon (CB-A) may be an ideal solution for LAF patients.

Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate acute success, periprocedural complications and outcome over a 12-month follow-up period in a cohort of patients having undergone PV isolation (PVI) for LAF using CB-A technology.

Improved visualisation of real-time recordings during third generation cryoballoon ablation: a comparison between the novel short-tip and the second generation device.

Background: The third-generation Cryoballoon Advance Short-tip (CB-ST) has been designed with a 40 % shortened tip length compared with the former second generation CB advance device (CB-A). Ideally, a shorter tip should permit an improved visualisation of real-time recordings in the pulmonary vein (PV) due to a more proximal positioning of the inner lumen mapping catheter. We sought to compare the incidence of visualisation of real-time recordings in patients having undergone ablation with the CB-ST with patients having received CB-A ablation.

Second-generation cryoballoon ablation for paroxysmal atrial fibrillation: Predictive role of atrial arrhythmias occurring in the blanking period on the incidence of late recurrences.

Background: Although consensus documents on catheter and surgical ablation of atrial fibrillation (AF) suggest a uniform "blanking period" of 3 months, recent evidence suggested that early recurrences of atrial tachyarrhythmias (ERATs) are strongly associated with late recurrences (LRs), especially if ERATs occurred in the last part of the "blanking period".

Objective: The present study sought to assess the role of ERATs in predicting LRs in a large cohort of patients with paroxysmal AF who have undergone second-generation cryoballoon ablation.

Methods: Consecutive patients with drug-resistant paroxysmal AF who underwent pulmonary vein isolation using CB-A technology as the index procedure were retrospectively included in our analysis.

Single 3-minute freeze for second-generation cryoballoon ablation: one-year follow-up after pulmonary vein isolation.

Background: The second-generation cryoballoon (CB-Adv) is effective in achieving pulmonary vein isolation (PVI) with encouraging results. The mid-term clinical efficacy of a single 3-minute freeze, without a routine bonus application, has been recently demonstrated.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to assess long-term clinical outcome after PVI with the CB-Adv using a single 3-minute application.