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Background Preclinical and clinical studies have utilized periprocedural parameters to optimize cryoballoon ablation dosing, including acute time-to-isolation (TTI) of the pulmonary vein, balloon rate of freezing, balloon nadir temperature, and balloon-thawing time. This study sought to predict the Arctic Front Advance (AFA) vs Arctic Front Advance Pro (AFA Pro) ablation durations required for transmural pulmonary vein isolation at varied tissue depths. Methods A cardiac-specific, three-dimensional computational model that incorporates structural characteristics, temperature-dependent cellular responses, and thermal-conductive properties was designed to predict the propagation of cold isotherms through tissue. The model assumed complete cryoballoon-to-pulmonary vein (PV) circumferential contact. Using known temperature thresholds of cardiac cellular electrical dormancy (at 23°C) and cellular nonviability (at -20°C), transmural time-to-isolation electrical dormancy (TTIED ) and cellular nonviability (TTINV ) were simulated. Results For cardiac thickness of 0.5, 1.25, 2.0, 3.0, 4.0, and 5.0 mm, the 23°C isotherm passed transmurally in 33, 38, 46, 62, 80, and 95 seconds during cryoablation utilizing AFA and 33, 38, 46, 63, 80, and 95 seconds with AFA Pro. Using the same cardiac thicknesses, the -20°C isotherm passed transmurally in 40, 55, 78, 161, 354, and 696 seconds during cryoablation with AFA and 40, 54, 78, 160, 352, and 722 seconds with AFA Pro. Conclusion This model predicted a minimum duration of cryoballoon ablation (TTINV ) to obtain a transmural lesion when acute TTI of the PV was observed (TTIED ). Consequently, the model is a useful tool for characterizing CBA dosing, which may guide future cryoablation dosing strategies.

Background: Contact force has proven to be influential for lesion formation in power-controlled radiofrequency ablation. Lesion formation and morphology from a temperature-controlled diamond tip radiofrequency ablation catheter is not well described. We hypothesize that lesion formation from a temperature-controlled radiofrequency system is independent of applied force over short application durations. Methods: This study examined lesion depth, surface width, temperature, and ablation parameters of the DiamondTemp Ablation (Medtronic, Inc) system for ablation applications delivered with varying application duration (5, 10, and 15 s) and applied force (5, 10, and 30 g). Lesions from perpendicular radiofrequency applications were analyzed in a stepwise fashion from a computational model, thermochromic gel data (n=36), and porcine thigh preparation (n=231) experiments. Results: Varying applied force across each application duration consistently generated comparable lesion dimensions for each model. In the computational model, lesion depths from a 5 s application with 5, 10, and 30 g of applied force were similar (2.3, 2.6, and 3.0 mm, respectively). Also, the 5 s lesion depths in the gel model were consistent across applied force (5 g, 3.2±0.1 mm; 10 g, 3.5±0.1 mm; 30 g, 3.5±0.2 mm). In the thigh model, the 5, 10, and 30 g applied forces for 5 s created lesion depths of 3.1±0.5, 3.2±1.0, and 3.2±1.1 mm, respectively. For the 10 and 15 s durations, the lesion depth and width remained consistent for the 10 and 30 g applied forces. Increases in lesion depth and width, percentage of impedance reduction, minimum power, and maximum temperature were only significant when application duration increased (from 5 to 15 s). Conclusions: Lesion dimensions with the DiamondTemp Ablation temperature-controlled radiofrequency ablation system showed no marked change with increased applied force. Short application durations generated consistent lesion dimensions across computational, thermochromic gel, and thigh models.

Introduction: Radiofrequency (RF) and cryoenergy are largely considered independent modalities for the transcatheter ablation of cardiac arrhythmias. There are numerous theoretical advantages to engineering a system capable of delivering both energy forms. Methods and Results: We designed a hybrid steerable catheter capable of delivering RF and cryoenergy independently, sequentially, and simultaneously. The novel catheter system was tested pre-clinically by creating a total of 180 ablation lesions in 20 mongrel dogs. Right atrial and right and left ventricular sites were preselected by a randomized factorial design devised to compare sequential and simultaneous RF and cryoenergy applications to standard RF, irrigated RF, and standard cryoablation. A steerable 4-mm electrode-tip hybrid catheter (“Fire and Ice”) was created by modifying a 7 F cryocatheter (Freezor™, CryoCath Technologies, Montreal, Canada). RF energy was injected via a copper wire, thermocouples were isolated to reduce RF interference, and 100 KHz band pass filters and RF chokes were added. Sequential low-dose RF (20 W, 60 seconds) preceding or following cryoablation resulted in larger lesions (P = 0.0010). The addition of RF energy did, however, produce more thrombus than cryoenergy alone, with clot detected on 82.4% versus 12.1% of ablation lesions, P < 0.0001. Simultaneously applying the two energy modalities (45 W, 10 or 30°C, 60 seconds) created more voluminous lesions than standard RF ablation (median 288.1 vs 126.1 mm3, P = 0.0333) of similar dimension to irrigated RF ablation. Conclusion: A versatile catheter system was fashioned capable of creating standard cryoablation lesions, standard RF lesions, and simultaneous lesions of similar dimension to irrigated RF.

Objective The objective of this study was to investigate whether epicardial cryoablation could achieve sufficient endocardial hypothermia to create transmural lesions leading to acute and sustained pulmonary vein isolation in a normothermic beating-heart model. Methods Thirty-five– to 45-kg pigs underwent median sternotomy. Epicardial cryoablation was performed on the right ventricle after insertion of thermocouples. Endocardial temperatures from thermocouples were recorded continuously and correlated with the thickness of the myocardium. Thirteen animals underwent pulmonary vein isolation as a box lesion by using 5-minute epicardial cryoablation. Endocardial temperatures were measured in 5 of these animals. Ten animals survived for 7 or 30 days. Electrical isolation was tested at the time of surgical intervention and again at death. Hearts were removed en bloc and submitted for gross and microscopic examination. Results Endocardial temperature varied inversely with tissue thickness, ranging from −60°C in 5-mm-thick tissue to staying unchanged in tissue more than 10 mm thick. During pulmonary vein isolation, median endocardial temperatures were between −1°C and −22°C. Acute electrical isolation was achieved in all 13 animals. All except one of the animals maintained electrical isolation long-term. Histologic analysis revealed transmurality in 89% of sections, although none of the box lesions were completely transmural. Conclusion Epicardial cryoablation can produce long-term pulmonary vein isolation in a beating heart. Dose-response studies demonstrate consistent endocardial hypothermia in tissues up to 7 mm thick. To our knowledge, this is the first report documenting endocardial hypothermia during epicardial cryoablation. This technology holds promise for performing the complete maze procedure on a beating heart.