Effect of Mechanical Ventilation on Radiofrequency Ablation in Atrial Fibrillation

Radiofrequency ablation (RFA) for atrial fibrillation (AF) is performed under general anesthesia. The success of the procedure depends on the safe contact of the catheter electrode with the myocardium. Movement of the catheter tip due to respiratory changes can result in inadequate lesion formation and AF recurrence.

The success of AF ablation depends on the adequacy of energy delivered to the myocardium and the durability of pulmonary vein isolation (PVI). Poor energy delivery and tissue heating during ablation are a major cause of procedural failure in RFA. To improve the success of the PVI procedure, efforts are underway to optimize catheter stability and contact force. However, catheter force and stability are influenced by respiration-induced thoracic motion, highlighting the importance of controlled breathing for further optimization. Fluoroscopy and ablation times during electroanatomic mapping-guided AF ablations improved with controlled mechanical ventilation. General anesthesia improved catheter contact.

Low tidal volume, high respiratory rate (FCV), pressure controlled mechanical ventilation (PCV), volume controlled mechanical ventilation (VCV), pressure controlled volume assured mechanical ventilation (PRVC) can be used in investigators' hospital. The literature offers no definitive proof that one ablation procedure is superior to another.