Introduction
Radiofrequency (RF) catheter ablation is an established treatment for cardiac arrhythmias. Optimal lesion formation and avoidance of excessive heating are necessary for effective ablation (1). Multiple factors including power, duration, catheter-tissue contact force (CF), electrode diameter, ablation circuit impedance, irrigation flow, tissue thickness, and myocardial blood flow have been reported to be associated with lesion characteristics (2,3).
Recently, a variety of new catheters have been developed and used in a clinical setting. Since each catheter has unique features, ablation lesion characteristics and complication rates may differ among catheters. Operators must understand the features of each catheter to optimize efficacy and safety. The open-irrigated ablation catheters, FlexAbilityTM SE and TactiCathTM SE (Abbott, St. Paul, MN), have different irrigation flows, electrode sizes and locations of the thermocouple, but little is known about the effect of these differences. The aim of this study was to investigate the lesion characteristics and adverse events of these catheters in ex vivo conditions.