Transvenous radiofrequency catheter ablation of atrioventricular nodal reentrant tachycardia and its pitfalls: A rationale for cryoablation?

Today, radiofrequency (RF) catheter ablation of atrioventricular nodal reentrant tachycardia (AVNRT) is accompanied by a high success, a low recurrence, and a low complication rate. Despite the fact that over the years this technique has been refined, several shortcomings still remain. In this overview, the most important pitfalls in the treatment of AVNRT with RF energy are discussed. Cryothermy has the ability to overcome some of them. Both ice mapping and cryoadherence are important characteristics of this energy source to study prospective ablation sites before a definitive and irreversible lesion is created. Theoretically, this could lead to less applications with less tissue damage and abolish the risk for permanent conduction disturbances. The early experience with this technique will be described. Until now, it still has to be proven that in a large cohort of patients, cryothermy is at least as effective, and safer than RE (c) 2005 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.