Affiliation:
1. Second Division of Cardiology, Cardiac-Toracic and Vascular Department, University Hospital of Pisa, 56124 Pisa, Italy
2. Cardiology Unit, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University Hospital “G. Martino”, University of Messina, 98168 Messina, Italy
Abstract
High-power short-duration (HPSD) ablation is an increasingly used ablation strategy for pulmonary vein isolation (PVI) procedures, but Lesion Index (LSI)-guided HPSD radiofrequency (RF) applications have not been described in this clinical setting. We evaluated the procedural efficiency and safety of an LSI-guided HPSD strategy for atrial fibrillation (AF) ablation. Paroxysmal and persistent AF patients scheduled for AF ablation were prospectively enrolled and divided into two groups, according to the ablation power used (≥45 W for the LSI-HP Group and ≤40 W for the LSI-LP group). All patients underwent only PVI LSI-guided ablation (5.5 to 6 anteriorly; 5 to 5.5 superiorly, 4.5 to 5 posteriorly) with a point-by-point strategy and an inter-lesion distance <6 mm. Forty-six patients with AF (25 in the LSI-HP Group vs 21 in the LSI-LP Group)—59% paroxysmal, 78% male, with low-intermediate CHA2DS2-Vasc scores (2 [1–3]), a preserved ejection fraction (65 ± 6%) and a mean left atrial index volume of 39 ± 13 mL/m2 were prospectively enrolled. Baseline clinical characteristics were comparable between groups. PVI was successful in all patients. The RF time (29 (23–37) vs. 49 (41–53) min, p < 0.001), total procedure time (131 (126–145) vs. 155 (139–203) min, p = 0.007) and fluoroscopy time (12 (10–18) vs. 21 (16–26) min, p = 0.001) were significantly lower in the LSI-HP Group. No complications or steam pops were seen in either group. LSI-HP AF ablation significantly improved procedural efficiency—reducing ablation time, total procedural duration, and fluoroscopy use, while maintaining a comparable safety profile to lower-power procedures.