In-Silico Assessment of Catheter-Tissue Contact Force in Monopolar Pulsed Field Ablation
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Electrode-tissue contact force (CF) is a key parameter in point-by-point catheter-based ablation procedures for the treatment of cardiac arrhythmias. CF has a well-established influence on lesion size in conventional radiofrequency ablation (RFA); however, its role in the more recent pulsed field ablation (PFA) technique remains unclear. This study investigates the role of CF in monopolar PFA applications using computational modelling on realistic porcine geometries. Contact mechanics simulations are performed to evaluate the deformation of ventricular endocardial tissue induced by a focal catheter under different applied force values, and lesion size is predicted based on a predefined lethal electric field threshold. Our findings indicate that deeper catheter penetration into the tissue leads to deeper lesions. Therefore, mechanical deformation caused by the catheter represents an important factor in determining final lesion shape. The proposed framework is the first computational model developed to assess the role of CF in monopolar PFA via a focal catheter, confirming that lesion depth increases with CF.
