Cover -- Title page -- Copyright page -- Contents -- List of Contributors -- Preface -- Acknowledgments -- About the Companion Website -- CHAPTER 1: Biophysical Principles and Properties of Cryoablation -- Background -- Thermodynamics of the cryoablation system -- Joule-Thompson effect -- Invention of refrigerant -- Modern cryoablation system -- Mechanisms of injury -- Hypothermic stress -- Direct cell injury -- Delayed cell death -- Lesion characteristics -- Immediate postthaw phase -- Hemorrhagic and inflammatory phase -- Replacement fibrosis phase -- Factors affecting cryoablation efficacy -- Tissue temperature -- Cooling rate -- Duration of freezing -- Thawing rate -- Freeze-thaw cycles -- Blood flow -- Size of catheter tip -- Electrode orientation -- Contact pressure -- Conclusion -- References -- CHAPTER 2: Catheter Cryoablation for Pediatric Arrhythmias -- Introduction -- Cryoablation in immature myocardium - animal studies -- Transcatheter cryoablation technique for the treatment of tachyarrhythmias in pediatrics -- Electrophysiology study -- Cryoablation technique - general aspects -- Cryoablation technique for AVNRT -- Cryoablation technique for ablation of accessory pathways -- Outcomes of cryoablation in pediatrics -- Outcomes of cryoablation for pediatric AVNRT -- Outcomes of cryoablation of accessory pathway ablation in pediatrics -- Cryoablation for other substrates -- Cryoablation in congenital heart disease -- Practice trends in pediatric cryoablation -- References -- CHAPTER 3: Atrioventricular Nodal Reentrant Tachycardia: What Have We Learned from Radiofrequency Catheter Ablation? -- Introduction -- Basis of catheter ablation for AVNRT -- Techniques of radiofrequency catheter ablation -- Electrophysiologic study -- Combined anatomical and electrophysiological approach.

Variation of retrograde exit sites and presence of multiple AV nodal pathways -- Congenital heart disease -- Potential proarrhythmic effects of catheter ablation -- Safety and efficacy of RFCA -- Immediate results -- Short- and long-term follow-up evaluation -- Elderly population -- Pediatric population -- Lessons learned from RFCA -- Conclusion -- Acknowledgements -- References -- CHAPTER 4: Catheter Cryoablation for Atrioventricular Nodal Reentrant Tachycardia -- Atrioventricular block after radiofrequency catheter ablation for atrioventricular nodal reentrant tachycardia -- Is cryoablation free of the complication of permanent inadvertent AVB in the treatment of AVNRT? -- Other advantages of using cryoablation to treat AVNRT -- Recurrence rates: The Achilles' Heel of cryoablation in treating AVNRT -- Procedural techniques of cryoablation for AVNRT -- Baseline electrophysiology study -- Target sites for cryoablation -- Cryomapping -- Cryoablation protocol -- Strategies to decrease the recurrence rate after cryoablation for AVNRT -- A more robust ablation endpoint -- Use of an 8 mm tip cryocatheter -- Conclusions -- References -- CHAPTER 5: Cryoballoon Pulmonary Vein Isolation for Atrial Fibrillation -- Introduction -- Function of the Arctic Front cryoballoon -- Ablation of the pulmonary vein antrum - technique -- Significance of measuring the proximal balloon temperature -- Factors determining lesion size and homogeneity -- Confirming adequate balloon occlusion -- Impact of pulmonary vein anatomy -- Impact of balloon characteristics -- Imaging -- Special isolation techniques -- Left upper pulmonary vein -- Left lower pulmonary vein -- Right upper pulmonary vein -- Right lower pulmonary vein -- Confirming isolation -- Monitoring pulmonary vein signals -- Risk of phrenic nerve palsy -- Frequently asked questions -- Other adverse events.

Stroke and transient ischemic attack -- Pulmonary vein stenosis -- Left atrial esophageal fistula -- Cough and hemoptysis -- Headaches -- Pericardial effusion and pericardial tamponade -- Left atrial flutter and left atrial macro-reentrant tachycardias -- Anticoagulation -- Results of cryoballoon ablation -- Outlook and future development -- Acknowledgments -- References -- CHAPTER 6: Prevention of Phrenic Nerve Palsy during Cryoballoon Ablation for Atrial Fibrillation -- Introduction -- Anatomy -- Mechanisms of phrenic nerve injury -- Pacing the phrenic nerve -- Monitoring of the phrenic nerve function -- Fluoroscopy and palpation -- Intracardiac echocardiography and fetal heart monitoring -- Diaphragmatic compound motor action potential -- Using capnography as an adjunctive tool for monitoring phrenic nerve function -- Recommendations -- See it, hear it, feel it, and measure it -- What to do when phrenic nerve injury occurs -- Summary -- References -- CHAPTER 7: Linear Isthmus Ablation for Atrial Flutter: Catheter Cryoablation versus Radiofrequency Catheter Ablation -- Introduction -- Atrial flutter terminology -- Pathophysiologic mechanisms of AFL -- Electrocardiogram diagnosis of AFL -- Mapping of AFL -- Radiofrequency catheter ablation of AFL -- Procedure endpoints for ablation of AFL -- Outcomes of radiofrequency catheter ablation of typical AFL -- Cryocatheter ablation of typical AFL -- Summary -- References -- CHAPTER 8: Catheter Cryoablation for the Treatment of Accessory Pathways -- Performance of RFCA of APs -- Uncommon complications of RFCA for APs -- Potential advantages of using cryoablation instead of RFCA in the treatment of APs -- Procedural techniques of cryoablation for accessory pathways -- Baseline electrophysiology study -- Cryoablation catheters -- Cryomapping and cryoablation protocol for APs.

Performance of catheter cryoablation of APs -- Efficacy, safety, and recurrence in general -- A closer look at catheter cryoablation of septal APs -- Catheter cryoablation of epicardial APs through the coronary sinus -- Cryomapping failure -- Conclusions -- References -- CHAPTER 9: Catheter Cryoablation for the Treatment of Ventricular Arrhythmias -- Introduction -- History of cryoablation -- Cryoablation technology -- Lesion formation by cryothermal energy -- Cryoenergy versus RF energy: clinical implications -- Cryoablation in the settings of VT ablation: clinical studies -- Conclusions -- References -- CHAPTER 10: Catheter Cryoablation for the Treatment of Miscellaneous Arrhythmias -- Electrophysiological characteristics and anatomical locations of focal atrial tachycardia -- Efficacy and safety of radiofrequency catheter ablation of FAT -- Catheter cryoablation treatment for "high-risk" FAT -- Radiofrequency and cryothermal ablation for inappropriate sinus tachycardia -- Radiofrequency and cryothermal ablation for atrioventricular nodal ablation in atrial fibrillation -- Conclusions -- References -- Index.