Background-The

Using the second-generation 28-mm CB, ETLs were detected in 6 of 50 (12%) patients. All ETLs were in the healing process on repeat EGD. An esophageal temperature safety cutoff may prove valuable in the prevention of ETLs and requires further evaluation.

A 'no-bonus'-freeze protocol for PVI using the second-generation 28 mm CB resulted in an 82% 1-year clinical success rate. A bonus freeze cycle following successful PVI may not be essential to superior clinical outcome.

Using the second-generation 28 mm CB, PNP occurred in 4 of 115 (3.5%) patients. While 1 of 4 PNP recovered 10 months after ablation, long-term outcome in the remaining 3 patients is currently unknown due to the rather short follow-up period.

AimsUse of a non-invasive electrocardiographic mapping system may aid in rapid diagnosis of atrial or ventricular arrhythmias or the detection of ventricular dyssynchrony. The aim of the present study was to validate the mapping accuracy of a novel non-invasive epi- and endocardial electrophysiology system (NEEES).Methods and resultsPatients underwent pre-procedural computed tomography or magnetic resonance imaging of the heart and torso. Radiographic data were merged with the data obtained from the NEEES during pacing from implanted pacemaker leads or pacing from endocardial sites using an electroanatomical mapping system (CARTO 3, Biosense Webster). The earliest activation as denoted on the NEEES three-dimensional heart model was compared with the true anatomic location of the tip of the pacemaker lead or the annotated pacing site on the CARTO 3 map. Twenty-nine patients [mean age: 62 ± 11 years, 6/29 (11%) female, 21/29 (72%) with ischaemic cardiomyopathy] were enrolled into the pacemaker verification group. The mean distance from the non-invasively predicted pacing site to the anatomic reference site was 10.8 ± 5.4 mm for the right atrium, 7.7 ± 5.8 mm for the right ventricle, and 7.9 ± 5.7 mm for the left ventricle activated via the coronary sinus lead. Five patients [mean age 65 ± 4 years, 2 (33%) females] underwent CARTO 3 verification study. The mean distance between non-invasively reconstructed pacing site and the reference pacing site was 7.4 ± 2.7 mm for the right atrium, 6.9 ± 2.3 mm for the left atrium, 6.5 ± 2.1 mm for the right ventricle, and 6.4 ± 2.2 for the left ventricle, respectively.ConclusionThe novel NEEES was able to correctly identify the site of pacing from various endo- and epicardial sites with high accuracy.