AI-ICE Guided Pulsed Field Ablation of Atrial Fibrillation with Variable Loop Circular Catheter
Abstract: Background Intracardiac echocardiography (ICE) facilitates left atrial (LA) reconstruction during atrial fibrillation (AF) ablation. The artificial intelligence-based CARTOSOUND FAM (AIFAM) module enables automated three-dimensional LA reconstruction without the need for a dedicated pre-ablation mapping catheter. While this workflow has been described previously in radiofrequency ablation, its application and outcome in pulsed field ablation (PFA) remains limited. Objective To evaluate the feasibility, safety, a…
Preventing-complicated-transseptal-puncture-with-intracardiac-echocardiography-case-report-1476-7120-3-5-S2 by Shalganov T, Paprika D, Borbas S, Temesvari A, Szili-Torok T. CC BY 2.0 · https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0
Researchers tested a no-pre-mapping workflow using the AI-based CARTOSOUND FAM module to build a three-dimensional left atrial shell from intracardiac echocardiography acquired in the right atrium, then used that shell alone to guide pulsed field ablation with a Variable Loop Circular Catheter. In 210 patients, including 76 with concomitant left atrial appendage occlusion, all pulmonary vein isolations were completed with frequent additional posterior wall and superior vena cava lesions.
The approach matters because it suggests AI reconstruction can replace a dedicated mapping catheter step while maintaining procedural efficiency and safety in a contemporary AF cohort. Uncertainty remains about generalizability beyond select index ablation cases, comparative effectiveness versus conventional mapping, and durability of arrhythmia control given incomplete follow-up and absence of a control arm.
- Study evaluated AIFAM-guided workflow during PFA using Variable Loop Circular Catheter in 210 patients without pre-map out of 412 screened.
- Mean age 68.1 years, 52% paroxysmal AF, 48% non-paroxysmal, mean CHA2DS2-VASc 3.4, with 36% undergoing concomitant AF ablation and left atrial appendage occlusion.
- All patients had pulmonary vein isolation plus posterior wall isolation in 87.5% and superior vena cava ablation in 60.5%.
- Skin-to-skin time 78.8 min and LA dwell 47.1 min for ablation alone, 87.3 min and 54.6 min for concomitant ablation and LAAO.
AI-based ICE module created left atrial shell from the right atrium without a pre-ablation mapping catheter and guided pulsed field ablation with 100% acute success and 77.7% paroxysmal and 71.8% non-paroxysmal freedom from arrhythmia at 270 days after blanking.
The rundown
Investigators screened 412 patients undergoing AF ablation with VLCC and analyzed 210 who had AIFAM-guided ablation without pre-map. LA shell was created using the AI-based ICE module from the right atrium and used as the only reference shell for PFA delivery.
Acute procedural success was 100% with one acute non-catheter related vascular complication (0.5%) and no late complications documented. Follow-up in 184 patients showed Kaplan-Meier freedom from arrhythmia after 60-day blanking of 77.7% for paroxysmal and 71.8% for non-paroxysmal AF at 270 days.
Sources
- Peer-reviewedEuropace2026-08-26
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