Impact of pulmonary vein anatomy and ostial dimensions on long-term outcome after single-shot device-guided cryoablation for paroxysmal atrial fibrillation

Background: Cryoballoon (CB)-guided pulmonary vein isolation (PVI) is an established treatment for atrial fibrillation (AF). This observational study aimed to assess the role of individual anatomical characteristics to predict long-term freedom from arrhythmia recurrence after CB-guided PVI for paroxysmal AF (PAF).

Methods: Three hundred fifty three consecutive patients (58 ± 11 years, 56% males), undergoing PVI between 2012 and 2018 were analysed. Individual pulmonary vein (PV) anatomy was assessed using preprocedural cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). For each PV, the cross-sectional area (CSA) was calculated. The impact of PV characteristics and CSA on long-term AF-free survival was evaluated.

Results: Acute PVI was achieved in all patients. Two hundred twenty-three patients (63%) had a normal PV anatomy (2 left- and 2 right-sided PV). Variant PV anatomy was present in 130 patients (37%). During the observation period of 48 months, AF-recurrence was documented in 167 patients (47 %). Patients with AF-recurrence presented with significantly enlarged right-sided PVs and left superior PVs (LSPVs) (p < 0.001). The presence of left common PVs (LCPVs) (n = 75, Log-rank p < 0.001) as well as right variant PVs (n = 35, Log rank p < 0.001) was associated with a significantly impaired long-term AF-free survival rate as compared to patients with normal PV characteristics.

Conclusion: Variant PV anatomy is a good predictor for AF-recurrence. A correlation between an enlarged CSA of right-sided PVs as well as LSPVs and AF-recurrence was documented.