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How-to-do-it

A simple and safe technique for positioning a bipolar radio-frequency device for pulmonary vein isolation

Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Saitama City Hospital, 2460 Mimuro, Midoriku, Saitama City, Saitama 336-8522, Japan

Received 13 February 2009; received in revised form 10 April 2009; accepted 14 April 2009.

^_* Corresponding author. Tel.: +81 48 873 4111; fax: +81 48 873 7982. (Email: shimasantamerry{at}tulip.ocn.ne.jp).

We describe a simple and safe technique to position a bipolar radio-frequency ablation device around the pulmonary veins when performing pulmonary vein isolation. The technique consists of insertion of a rubber catheter with stylet, originally an introducer from a left vent catheter, behind the pulmonary veins, and subsequent placement of the lower jaw of the ablation clamp using a rubber catheter to guide the device into position. This novel method avoids excessive compression or displacement of the heart and enables easy and safe positioning of the ablation device around the pulmonary veins.

Key Words: Radio-frequency ablation • Arrhythmia surgery • Atrial fibrillation