Efficacy and safety of a novel cryoballoon ablation system: multicentre comparison of 1-year outcome. Issue 12 (21st June 2022)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Knecht, Sven; Sticherling, Christian; Roten, Laurent; Badertscher, Patrick; Krisai, Philipp; Chollet, Laurève; Küffer, Thomas; Spies, Florian; Völlmin, Gian; Madaffari, Antonio; Mühl, Aline; Baldinger, Samuel H; Servatius, Helge; Tanner, Hildegard; Osswald, Stefan; Reichlin, Tobias; Kühne, Michael
• Is Part Of: Europace. Volume 24:Issue 12(2022)
• Page Start: 1926
• Page End: 1932
• Publication Date: 2022-06-21
• Subjects: Cryoballoon ablation Arctic Front POLARx Atrial fibrillation Recurrence Safety; Arrhythmia -- Treatment -- Periodicals; Cardiac pacing -- Periodicals; Catheter ablation -- Periodicals; Heart -- Physiology -- Periodicals; Electrophysiology -- Periodicals; 617.4120645
• DOI: 10.1093/europace/euac094
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1099-5129

Abstract

Abstract: Aims: The aim of the study was to compare the 1-year efficacy and safety of a novel cryoballoon (NCB) ablation system (POLARx; Boston Scientific) for pulmonary vein isolation (PVI) compared with the standard cryoballoon (SCB) system (Arctic Front, Medtronic). Methods and results: Consecutive patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) undergoing PVI using the NCB and the SCB at two centres were included. We report 1-year efficacy after 12 months, short-term safety and hospitalizations within the blanking period, and predictors for AF recurrence. In case of repeat procedures, pulmonary vein (PV) reconnection patterns were characterized. Eighty patients (age 66 ± 10 years, ejection fraction 57 ± 10%, left atrial volume index 39 ± 13 mL/m 2, paroxysmal AF in 64%) were studied. After a single procedure and a follow-up of 12 months, 68% in the NCB group and 70% in the SCB group showed no recurrence of AF/atrial tachycardias ( P = 0.422). One patient in the NCB group suffered a periprocedural stroke with full recovery. There were no differences regarding hospitalizations during follow-up between the groups. PV reconnection observed during 12 repeat procedures (4 NCB, 8 SCB) pattern was comparable between the groups with more reconnections in the right-sided compared with the left-sided PVs. Conclusion: In this multicentre study comparing two currently available cryoballoon ablation systems for PVI, no differences were observed in the efficacy and safety during a follow-up of 12 months.