Cryoballoon ablation: a novel technique for treating focal atrial tachycardias from the pulmonary veins

Cryothermic ablation using a cryoballoon is a novel technique which has been used to treat paroxysmal atrial fibrillation. In this study, we wanted to test this technique to treat focal atrial tachycardias (ATs) from the pulmonary veins (PV).

Five patients (four women, one man, mean age 43 ± 16 years) with severe symptoms due to focal AT originating from a PV were studied. A single transseptal puncture was done. After confirmation of the diagnosis by conventional mapping, a 23 or 28 mm cryoballoon catheter was positioned in the PV of interest. Freezing was done for 300 s and repeated at least once before attempts to induce arrhythmia. All patients were successfully treated. Total procedure and fluoroscopy time was 138 ± 55 and 26 ± 21 min, respectively. During a follow-up of 10 ± 7 months no clinical recurrences occurred.

Cryoablation using a cryoballoon might be an easy and safe tool to treat ATs originating from the PV with reasonable procedure time.