Incidence of real-time recordings of pulmonary vein potentials using the third-generation short-tip cryoballoon

The third-generation Cryoballoon Advance Short-tip (CB-ST) has been designed with a 40% shortened tip length compared with the former second-generation CB Advance device. Ideally, a shorter tip should permit an improved visualization of real-time (RT) recordings in the pulmonary vein (PV) due to a more proximal positioning of the inner lumen mapping catheter. In the present study, we sought to analyse the rate of visualization of RT recordings in our first series of patients with the CB-ST device.

All consecutive patients having undergone CB ablation using CB-ST technology were analysed. Exclusion criteria were the presence of an intracavitary thrombus, uncontrolled heart failure, moderate or severe valvular disease, and contraindications to general anaesthesia. A total of 60 consecutive patients (60.5 ± 11.2 years, 62% males) were evaluated. Real-time recordings were detected in 209 of 240 PVs (87.1%). Specifically, RT recordings could be visualized in 55 left superior PVs (91.7%), 51 left inferior PVs (85.0%), 53 right superior PVs (88.3%), and 50 right inferior PVs (83.3).

The rate of visualization of RT recordings is significantly high during third-generation CB-ST ablation. Real-time recordings can be visualized in ∼87.1% of veins with this novel cryoballoon.