Ultrasound Research Today is a free monthly online journal that collates and summarizes the latest research about Ultrasound, including details on screening, diagnosis, pregnancy, detection.

Pulmonary vein antrum isolation: intracardiac echocardiography-guided technique.

Verma A, Marrouche NF, Natale A

Section of Cardiac Pacing and Electrophysiology, Department of Cardiology, Cleveland Clinic Foundation, Cleveland, Ohio 44195, USA.

Several techniques are used for AF ablation, but no general consensus exists as to which technique is the most effective. At our center, we have developed a technique for isolating the pulmonary veins (PVs) at their antrum. The technique is guided by intracardiac echocardiography (ICE) and mapping with a circular (Lasso) catheter. Our technique was developed based on four crucial principles: 1. Precisely identifying the true border of the PV antrum. 2. Electrically isolating all of the PVs at the level of the antrum. 3. Avoiding risk of PV stenosis by ablating outside of the antrum. 4. Minimizing risk of other complications, such as perforation and stroke, by direct visualization during transseptal access and radiofrequency (RF) ablation.

Published 2 December 2004 in J Cardiovasc Electrophysiol, 15(11): 1335-40.
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