Relationship between catheter contact angle and lesion
size
Figure 3 shows representative lesion images for each catheter angle RF
application (30 watts, 30 seconds, 30 g of CF). Although the lesion
depths were compatible, the maximum lesion widths and surface widths
were smaller at 90° than at 30° and 45°. The summarized data of all
experiments are shown in Figure 5. In the MiFi group, the maximum lesion
widths under 20 and 30 g of CF were smaller at 90° than at 30° and 45°
(CF 20 g: P = 0.003, CF 30 g: P = 0.011, respectively). Surface widths
under 5, 10, 20, and 30 g of CF were also smaller at 90° than at 30° (CF
5 g: P = 0.013, CF 10 g: P = 0.003, CF 20 g: P < 0.001, CF 30
g: P = 0.007, respectively). On the other hand, the lesion depths were
not significantly different among the three angles under any CF. For the
STABLEPOINT, the maximum lesion widths under 0, 5, 10, 20 and 30 g of CF
were smaller at 90° than those at 30° (CF 0 g: P = 0.001, 5 g: P
< 0.001, 10 g: P < 0.001, 20 g: P = 0.011, and 30 g:
P = 0.039, respectively). Surface widths under 0, 5, 10, 20, and 30 g of
CF were also smaller at 90° than at 30° (CF 0 g: P < 0.001, 5
g: P < 0.001, 10 g: P < 0.001, 20 g: P <
0.001, and 30 g: P = 0.032, respectively). The lesion depths were not
significantly different among the three angles under any CF.