Inefficient contact lesions
The SureFlex sheath maintained better catheter-tissue contact than the Agilis sheath, as demonstrated by a 20% overall fewer inefficient contact lesions (i.e. lesions with CF < 5 g for more than 10% of the ablation time; p < 0.001, Figure 4A). The odds ratio (OR) for inefficient contact lesions was 0.605 for SureFlex versus Agilis (95% CI: 0.371-0.976, p = 0.035), revealing a 39% lower chance of inefficient contact lesions with the SureFlex sheath than Agilis. While this reduction was consistent among all pulmonary veins, the difference between SureFlex and Agilis was significant in the right PVs, with 17% and 45% fewer inefficient contact lesions in the right inferior and right superior PVs, respectively (p < 0.01; Figure 4B). OR for SureFlex sheath versus Agilis for RIPV was 0.607 (95% CI: 0.35-1.03; p = 0.009) and RSPV was 0.583 (95% CI: 0.27-1.24; p = 0.15).