Contact force sensing during atrial fibrillation ablation: clinical experience and effects on outcomes

Catheter ablation is an effective treatment option for atrial fibrillation (AF), and pulmonary vein isolation (PVI) is the cornerstone of AF ablation. When AF recurs after ablation, PV reconnection is frequently seen during repeat ablation. As such, achieving durable chronic PVI by delivering effective, transmural lesions during the index ablation is key to optimize long-term outcomes. The development of contact force (CF) sensing technologies integrated into ablation catheters now allow for real-time visualization of applied CF during PVI and have been shown to improve ablation efficacy and safety. The aim of this review is to describe the CF technology, summarize the literature on the outcomes of CF-guided ablation, and to discuss procedural aspects that are crucial when using CF.