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.