Pulmonary vein isolation with a novel endoscopic ablation system using laser energy.

Pulmonary vein isolation (PVI) is the basis of all ablation techniques for paroxysmal atrial fibrillation. Performing conventional radiofrequency ablation for PVI is time consuming and sometimes challenging when using point-by-point applications to create continuous lesions. Small electrically conducting gaps evolving in the ablation lines may cause recurrences of atrial fibrillation or regular atrial re-entry tachycardias. Development of novel anatomically designed ablation catheters for PVI aim to facilitate the ablation procedure, to produce continuous and durable lesions with a limited number of ablation impulses and to reduce the complication rate. The endoscopic laser balloon ablation system (HeartLight® EAS, Cardiofocus Inc.) is the first system that allows direct visual guidance of energy delivery at the antral level of each pulmonary vein and uses a completely new energy source for ablation.