Purpose: The purpose of this study was to clarify the behavior of the luminal esophageal temperature (LET) in a cohort of patients undergoing second-generation cryoballoon (CB-A) for pulmonary vein isolation (PVI) and additional left atrium posterior wall (LAPW) ablation by means of CB-A.
Methods: Thirty patients with symptomatic persistent AF (PersAF), having undergone PVI + LAPW cryoballoon ablation with LET monitoring.
Results: Interruption of the application due to a LET below 15 °C occurred in 5 patients (16.6%), 2 at the LIPV and 3 in the LAPW. The 5 patients underwent gastroscopy the day after ablation. In all individuals, esophageal thermal lesion (ETL) was absent.
Conclusion: The evaluation of LET might be an additional tool in helping to prevent damage to the esophagus during the LAPW ablation with the CB-A by stopping the freeze application when temperature reaches values of < 15 °C.
Keywords: Atrial fibrillation; Esophageal thermal lesion; Left atrium posterior wall; Luminal esophageal temperature; Pulmonary vein isolation.