Ischemia-induced ventricular proarrhythmia and cardiovascular autonomic dysreflexia after cardioneuroablation

Cardioneuroablation (CNA) is an attractive treatment of vasovagal syncope. Its long-term efficacy and safety remain unknown.

The purpose of this study was to develop a chronic porcine model of CNA to examine the susceptibility to ventricular tachyarrhythmia (ventricular tachycardia/ventricular fibrillation [VT/VF]) and cardiac autonomic function after CNA.

A percutaneous CNA model was developed by ablation of left- and right-sided ganglionated plexi (n = 5), confirmed by histology. Reproducible bilateral vagal denervation was confirmed after CNA by extracardiac vagal nerve stimulation (VNS) and histology. Chronic studies included 16 pigs randomized to CNA (n = 8) and sham ablation (n = 8, Control). After 6 weeks, animals underwent hemodynamic studies, assessment of cardiac sympathetic and parasympathetic function using sympathetic chain stimulation and direct VNS, respectively, and proarrhythmic potential after left anterior descending (LAD) coronary artery ligation.

After CNA, extracardiac VNS responses remained abolished for 6 weeks despite ganglia remaining in ablated ganglionated plexi. In the CNA group, direct VNS resulted in paradoxical increases in blood pressure, but not in sham-ablated animals (CNA group vs sham group: 8.36% ± 7.0% vs -4.83% ± 8.7%, respectively; P = .009). Left sympathetic chain stimulation (8 Hz) induced significant corrected QT interval prolongation in the CNA group vs the sham group (11.23% ± 4.0% vs 1.49% ± 4.0%, respectively; P < .001). VT/VF after LAD ligation was more prevalent and occurred earlier in the CNA group than in the control group (61.44 ± 73.7 seconds vs 245.11 ± 104.0 seconds, respectively; P = .002).

Cardiac vagal denervation is maintained long-term after CNA in a porcine model. However, chronic CNA was associated with cardiovascular dysreflexia, diminished cardioprotective effects of cardiac vagal tone, and increased susceptibility to VT/VF in ischemia. These potential long-term negative effects of CNA suggest the need for rigorous clinical studies on CNA.