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Scientific reports2024; 14(1); 22877; doi: 10.1038/s41598-024-74486-2

In vitro characterization of radiofrequency ablation lesions in equine and swine myocardial tissue.

Abstract: Radiofrequency ablation is a promising technique for arrhythmia treatment in horses. Due to the thicker myocardial wall and higher blood flow in horses, it is unknown if conventional radiofrequency settings used in human medicine can be extrapolated to horses. The study aim is to describe the effect of ablation settings on lesion dimensions in equine myocardium. To study species dependent effects, results were compared to swine myocardium. Right ventricular and right and left atrial equine myocardium and right ventricular swine myocardium were suspended in a bath with circulating isotonic saline at 37 °C. The ablation catheter delivered radiofrequency energy at different-power-duration combinations with a contact force of 20 g. Lesion depth and width were measured and lesion volume was calculated. Higher power or longer duration of radiofrequency energy delivery increased lesion size significantly in the equine atrial myocardium and in equine and swine ventricular myocardium (P < 0.001). Mean lesion depth in equine atrial myocardium ranged from 2.9 to 5.5 mm with a diameter ranging from 6.9 to 10.1 mm. Lesion diameter was significantly larger in equine tissue compared to swine tissue (P = 0.020). Obtained data in combination with estimated wall thickness can improve lesion transmurality which might reduce arrhythmia recurrence. Optimal ablation settings may differ between species.
Publication Date: 2024-10-02 PubMed ID: 39358479DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-74486-2Google Scholar: Lookup
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  • Journal Article

Summary

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This research investigates the effect of different radiofrequency ablation settings on lesion dimensions in horse heart tissue, in comparison to pig heart tissue. It suggests that the optimal settings for this type of arrhythmia treatment may differ between species due to physiological differences.

Objective and Methodology of the Study

  • The aim of this study was to assess the impact of radiofrequency ablation, a technique used for the treatment of arrhythmia, on heart tissue in horses.
  • The researchers examined the effect of various power-duration settings of radiofrequency energy delivery on the size of the ablation lesions in horse and pig heart tissue.
  • They used right ventricular and left and right atrial horse heart tissue, as well as right ventricular pig heart tissue for their experiment. The heart tissues were kept in a circulating saline bath at a temperature of 37°C.
  • The radiofrequency energy was supplied via an ablation catheter at a contact force of 20g.
  • The researchers then measured the lesion depth and width and calculated the volume, assessing the differences based on the various settings.

Findings of the Study

  • The results showed that increasing either the power or duration of the radiofrequency energy delivery significantly increased lesion size, both in the horse’s atrial heart tissue and in the ventricular heart tissue of horses and pigs.
  • The mean lesion depth in horse atrial tissue ranged from 2.9 to 5.5mm, with a diameter ranging from 6.9 to 10.1mm.
  • Furthermore, the study found that the lesion diameter was significantly larger in horse tissue compared to pig tissue. This implies that the optimal radiofrequency ablation settings could vary between different species due to distinctive physical properties.

Implications of the Findings

  • The findings from this study could help indeveloping an effective treatment for arrhythmia in horses by optimizing the radiofrequency ablation settings.
  • Understanding the variation in lesion size based on different settings and species could also result in more effective control of the radiofrequency ablation process, thereby reducing the recurrence of arrhythmia.
  • This research could further broaden current knowledge about the application of radiofrequency ablation treatment across various species, potentially improving its efficiency and outcomes in veterinary medicine.

Cite This Article

APA
Buschmann E, Van Steenkiste G, Duytschaever M, Segers P, Ibrahim L, van Loon G, Decloedt A. (2024). In vitro characterization of radiofrequency ablation lesions in equine and swine myocardial tissue. Sci Rep, 14(1), 22877. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-024-74486-2

Publication

ISSN: 2045-2322
NlmUniqueID: 101563288
Country: England
Language: English
Volume: 14
Issue: 1
Pages: 22877

Researcher Affiliations

Buschmann, Eva
  • Department of Internal Medicine, Reproduction and Population Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Equine Cardioteam Ghent University, Ghent University, Merelbeke, Belgium. eva.buschmann@ugent.be.
Van Steenkiste, Glenn
  • Department of Internal Medicine, Reproduction and Population Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Equine Cardioteam Ghent University, Ghent University, Merelbeke, Belgium.
Duytschaever, Mattias
  • Department of Cardiology, AZ Sint-Jan, Bruges, Belgium.
Segers, Patrick
  • Institute of Biomedical Engineering and Technology, Faculty of Engineering and Architecture, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium.
Ibrahim, Lara
  • Department of Morphology, Imaging, Orthopedics, Rehabilitation and Nutrition, Ghent University, Merelbeke, Belgium.
van Loon, Gunther
  • Department of Internal Medicine, Reproduction and Population Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Equine Cardioteam Ghent University, Ghent University, Merelbeke, Belgium.
Decloedt, Annelies
  • Department of Internal Medicine, Reproduction and Population Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Equine Cardioteam Ghent University, Ghent University, Merelbeke, Belgium.

MeSH Terms

  • Animals
  • Horses
  • Swine
  • Myocardium / pathology
  • Catheter Ablation / methods
  • Heart Atria / physiopathology
  • Heart Atria / surgery
  • Heart Atria / pathology
  • Heart Ventricles / pathology
  • Heart Ventricles / physiopathology
  • Radiofrequency Ablation / methods

Grant Funding

  • 1SE9122N / Fonds Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek

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Citations

This article has been cited 1 times.
  1. Teumer Y, Ziemssen H, Katov L, Bothner C, Mayer B, Rottbauer W, Weinmann-Emhardt K. Comparative lesion metrics analysis of very high power and high power short duration radiofrequency ablation in a Porcine ex vivo model. Sci Rep 2025 Jun 20;15(1):20215.
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