View-synchronized robotic image-guided therapy for atrial fibrillation ablation: experimental validation and clinical feasibility

Abstract

Background: A robotic catheter navigation system has been developed that provides a significant degree of freedom of catheter movement. This study examines the feasibility of synchronizing this robotic navigation system with electroanatomic mapping and 3-dimensional computed tomography imaging to perform view-synchronized left atrial (LA) ablation.

Methods and results: This study consisted of a porcine experimental validation phase (9 animals) and a clinical feasibility phase (9 atrial fibrillation patients). Preprocedural computed tomography images were reconstructed to provide 3-dimensional surface models of the LA pulmonary veins and aorta. Aortic electroanatomic mapping was performed manually, followed by registration with the corresponding computed tomography aorta image using custom software. The mapping catheter was remotely manipulated with the robotic navigation system within the registered computed tomography image of the LA pulmonary veins. The point-to-surface error between the LA electroanatomic mapping data and the computed tomography image was 2.1+/-0.7 and 1.6+/-0.1 mm in the preclinical and clinical studies, respectively. The catheter was remotely navigated into all pulmonary veins, the LA appendage, and circumferentially along the mitral valve annulus. In 7 of 9 animals, circumferential radiofrequency ablation lesions were applied periostially to ablate 11 pulmonary veins. In patients, all of the pulmonary veins were remotely electrically isolated in an extraostial fashion. Adjunctive ablation included superior vena cava isolation in 6 patients, cavotricuspid isthmus ablation in 5 patients, and ablation of sites of complex fractionated activity and atypical LA flutters in 3 patients.

Conclusions: This study demonstrates the safety and feasibility of an emerging paradigm for atrial fibrillation ablation involving the confluence of 3 technologies: 3-dimensional imaging, electroanatomic mapping, and remote robotic navigation.