Role of Catheter-Tissue Contact in Pulsed Field Ablation

Abstract

Pulsed electrical field energy is a highly customizable, minimally thermal energy source associated with a myriad of potential ablation recipes that would hypothetically limit the importance of catheter-tissue contact on lesion formation. However, recent preclinical studies conducted on ventricular swine models suggest that contact force is pivotal in achieving adequate lesion formation even during pulsed field ablation. Despite the accruing preclinical evidence, clinical data on ablation targets beyond pulmonary veins are lacking and vast, and prospective human studies are required to better explore the clinical outcome of patients undergoing contact-force-guided pulsed field ablation for cardiac arrhythmias.

Keywords: Contact force; Irreversible electroporation; Pulsed electrical field energy; Pulsed field ablation.