Related Experiment Videos
Thermal latency in radiofrequency ablation
F H Wittkampf1, H Nakagawa, W S Yamanashi
1Heart Lung Institute, Department of Cardiology, University Hospital Utrecht, The Netherlands. j.a.rangestel@lhi.azu.nl
Circulation
|March 15, 1996
Summary
Radiofrequency ablation can cause continued tissue heating after the pulse, known as thermal latency. This phenomenon may explain delayed conduction block progression near the atrioventricular node.
Area of Science:
- Electrophysiology
- Thermal Ablation
- Cardiac Electrophysiology
Background:
- Radiofrequency (RF) ablation near the atrioventricular (AV) node can lead to unintended conduction delays.
- A potential mechanism is continued tissue heating after RF pulse delivery.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the phenomenon of "thermal latency" after RF ablation.
- To determine if post-pulse temperature rise explains delayed AV conduction block.
Main Methods:
- Utilized a thigh muscle preparation model.
- Applied RF pulses of varying durations (5-30 seconds) at specific power settings and electrode pressure.
- Monitored intramural tissue temperatures at multiple depths during and after RF delivery.
Main Results:
- Short RF pulses (5 seconds) demonstrated maximal thermal latency, with temperatures peaking after pulse termination.
- At 7mm depth, tissue temperature remained elevated for over 30 seconds post-pulse, with a 2.9°C rise.
- Latency was also observed in the lesion border zone, particularly with 10-second pulses.
Conclusions:
- Tissue temperature continues to rise after short RF applications, a phenomenon termed "thermal latency."
- This post-pulse heating may cause lesion growth and explain delayed conduction block near the AV node.
- Thermal latency reconciles discrepancies between lesion growth rates and temperature rise studies.