TOPLINE:
The occurrence of acute brain lesions was lower with a transseptal puncture than with a conventional retrograde aortic approach in patients undergoing left ventricular catheter ablation, with no significant difference in the safety or efficacy profile between both approaches.
METHODOLOGY:
- Previous studies suggested that catheter ablation for atrial fibrillation results in new brain lesions in approximately 15%-25% of cases.
- Researchers conducted this multicenter randomized trial (2019-2023) at 19 sites to compare the occurrence of new brain lesions in patients undergoing endocardial left ventricular catheter ablation by a transseptal puncture (n = 74; mean age, 65.3 years; 24% women) or by a retrograde aortic approach (n = 72; mean age, 63.2 years; 17% women).
- A total of 69 patients in the transseptal group and 62…