Loss of Pace Capture on the Ablation Line During Pulmonary Vein Isolation versus "Dormant Conduction": Is Adenosine...

Permanent pulmonary vein isolation (PVI) remains an essential goal of ablation therapy in patients with atrial fibrillation. Aim of this study was the intraindividual comparison of unexcitability to pacing along the ablation line versus dormant conduction (DC) as additional procedural endpoints.

A total of 58 patients with paroxysmal atrial fibrillation (PAF) underwent PVI by circumferential ablation of ipsilateral pulmonary veins (PVs), followed by testing for DC by adenosine administration. Irrespective of the presence of DC, pacing along the ablation line for left atrium capture was performed and additional radio frequency energy applied if necessary. PVs with initial DC were retested after achieving unexcitability.

PVI was achieved in 224 of 224 PVs. In 33 of 224 PVs (15%) DC was revealed. At 92 of 112 ablation lines (82%) sites of excitability were found. Three (9%) of the initial 33 PVs with DC showed further DC after achieving unexcitability at repeated testing. Thirty-two of 33 assumed areas of unmasked PV-LA reconduction as revealed by DC-testing showed a corresponding site of excitability on the ablation line. After a follow-up of 11.6 ± 3.4 months 79% of patients were free of arrhythmia.

Pacing for unexcitability can safely identify potential sites of DC and even sites that would have not been detected by testing for DC. Unexcitability, therefore, serves as a suitable and safe procedural endpoint not only for patients with contraindications to adenosine administration. Our data suggest that adenosine may be expendable when achieving unexcitability along the ablation line.