Establishing Safe Working Parameters for Radiofrequency Ablation In Vitro Using Acoustic Sensing, Probability Mapping, and Catheter Contact Angle.

Surgical quality and safety in radiofrequency catheter ablation (RFA) are critical in arrhythmia procedures. Steam pops, in particular, are potentially catastrophic events that must be avoided; otherwise, they may cause significant damage to the myocardium. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of applied RFA inclination angle and tissue contact parameters on the ablated volume and "steam pop" formation.