Is pulsed field ablation safe and effective for cavotricuspid isthmus-dependent flutter?
Pulsed field ablation for CTI flutter achieves high acute success but is associated with a high rate of subclinical coronary vasospasm, suggesting its current role may be limited.
Cavotricuspid isthmus ablation (CTI) is a first-line therapy in patients with typical atrial flutter. With the advent of pulsed field (PF) as a new energy source, we sought to evaluate the use of PF for CTI ablation. A systematic literature search was conducted on the use of PF for CTI-flutter up to December 2024. A meta-analysis was performed for studies reporting pooled data, while individual case reports were reviewed and summarized. The mean number of PF applications, acute success rate, and prevalence of coronary vasospasm were evaluated. Eleven studies with pooled data from 155 patients were included. All patients had an acute block of the CTI. The mean number of PFA applications was 7.78 (95% CI 6.53-9.48). The incidence of ST-elevation was 0.04% (95% CI 0-2.23%). Subclinical vasospasm was documented in 45% (95% CI 32%-59%) of patients who underwent periprocedural coronary angiography. Prophylactic use of nitrates showed a trend toward reducing the incidence of subclinical vasospasm (RR 0.24, 95% CI 0.06-1.06, p = 0.059). Twelve cases with patient-level data were included; six reported complications, including ST elevation and conduction disturbances. PFA for CTI flutter demonstrates high acute success; however, evidence regarding the durability of the block is limited. Clinical vasospasm with ST segment elevation is uncommon but can lead to life-threatening complications. The incidence of subclinical vasospasm is high, and nitrates tend toward reducing this phenomenon. To date, the role of PFA for this condition appears to be limited.
Rodriguez et al. (2025) studied this question.