Introduction

In 1987, transcatheter ablation of cardiac arrhythmias via radiofrequency (RF) current was introduced to avoid the complications associated with direct current fulguration(1). In RF ablation, low voltage high-frequency electrical energy (30KHz – 1.5MHz) is delivered to the endocardial surface producing well-circumscribed lesions resulting in more accurate and focal tissue ablation(1). In 1995, RF ablation was further refined using saline irrigation to cool the catheter tip, making larger RF lesions possible and thus increasing its efficacy(2, 3).
Although AF ablation is relatively safe, the procedure still carries a risk of complications (4, 5). Several factors are taken into consideration to ensure the safety and efficacy of PVI, such as transmurality of lesions, necrosis of tissue and scar formation, and absence of excessive cardiac injury. These factors can be controlled by adjusting RF parameters such as power, duration, electrode, and lesion size(6-9). Currently, two broad ablation strategies are used: low-power, long-duration (LPLD) and high-power short-duration (HPSD)(10, 11).  HPSD has been shown to lower time spent per lesion and reduce deep tissue heating and collateral injury(9-12).
While several studies compared different radiofrequency ablation catheters in AF ablation(13), few studies are available for atrioventricular node (AVN) ablation. This study aims to compare the effectiveness of various types of RF ablation catheters in AVN ablation.