A novel octaray multielectrode catheter for high-resolution atrial mapping: Electrogram characterization and utility...

Area of Science:

• Electrophysiology
• Cardiovascular Research
• Medical Device Technology

Background:

• Multielectrode mapping catheters are crucial for navigating complex cardiac scar tissue.
• The Octaray catheter, featuring eight spines and 48 electrodes, represents a novel advancement in atrial mapping technology.
• Improved speed and resolution in atrial mapping can enhance procedural efficiency and outcomes.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the baseline mapping performance and electrogram (EGM) characteristics of the Octaray catheter in healthy swine atria.
• To assess the Octaray catheter's effectiveness in identifying gaps within atrial ablation lines using a swine model.
• To compare the Octaray's mapping capabilities against the Pentaray catheter.

Main Methods:

• The study involved mapping the right atria of eight healthy swine using both Octaray and Pentaray catheters.
• Ablation lines with intentional gaps were created, and mapping was performed before and after ablation.
• Key mapping characteristics, including EGM amplitude, duration, number of EGMs, and mapping time, were analyzed and compared.

Main Results:

• The Octaray catheter collected significantly more EGMs (2178 vs 1046) in a shorter time (3.2 vs 6.9 minutes) compared to the Pentaray.
• While the Octaray recorded lower baseline bipolar voltage amplitude, it effectively identified ablation gaps characterized by higher voltage amplitudes.
• Both catheters identified ablation gaps similarly, but the Octaray demonstrated higher specificity by reducing false gap identification.

Conclusions:

• The Octaray catheter enhances atrial mapping speed and data density compared to the Pentaray.
• It is equally sensitive in detecting ablation gaps and more specific in mapping continuous ablation lines.
• The Octaray catheter shows significant potential for improving the accuracy and efficiency of atrial ablation procedures.