Temperature-controlled irrigated tip radiofrequency catheter ablation: comparison of in vivo and in vitro lesion dimensions for standard catheter and irrigated tip catheter with minimal infusion rate

In patients with ventricular tachycardias due to structural heart disease, catheter ablation cures <60% partly due to the limited lesion size after conventional radiofrequency ablation. Irrigated tip radiofrequency ablation using power control and high infusion rates enlarges lesion size, but has increased risk of cratering. The present study explores irrigated tip catheter ablation in temperature-controlled mode, target temperature 60 degrees C, using an irrigation rate of 1 mL/min, comparing this to conventional catheter technique, target temperature 80 degrees C.