Microbubble-Facilitated Ultrasound Catheter Ablation Causes Microvascular Damage and Fibrosis

Babak Nazer, David Giraud, Yan Zhao, Yue Qi, O'Neil N. Mason, Peter D. Jones, Chris J. Diederich, Edward P. Gerstenfeld, Jonathan R. Lindner

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

3 Scopus citations

Abstract

High-intensity ultrasound (US) ablation produces deeper myocardial lesions than radiofrequency ablation. The presence of intravascular microbubble (MB) contrast agents enhances pulsed-wave US ablation via cavitation-related histotripsy, potentially facilitating ablation in persistently perfused/conducting myocardium. US ablation catheters were developed and tested in the presence of MBs using ex vivo and in vivo models. High-frame-rate videomicroscopy and US imaging of gel phantom models confirmed MB destruction by inertial cavitation. MB-facilitated US ablation in an ex vivo perfused myocardium model generated shallow (2 mm) lesions and, in an in vivo murine hindlimb model, reduced perfusion by 42% with perivascular hemorrhage and inflammation, but no myonecrosis.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)131-138
Number of pages8
JournalUltrasound in Medicine and Biology
Volume47
Issue number1
DOIs
StatePublished - Jan 2021

Keywords

  • Arrhythmias
  • Electrophysiology
  • Histotripsy
  • Microbubbles
  • Pulsed ultrasound ablation

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Radiological and Ultrasound Technology
  • Biophysics
  • Acoustics and Ultrasonics

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