Treatment of atrial fibrillation, using pulmonary vein isolation, involves some risks to collateral structure, including the esophagus. Active esophageal cooling has shown benefits in multiple studies when used in the treatment of Paroxysmal Atrial Fibrillation or Persistent Atrial Fibrillation during left atrial ablation. The largest randomized, controlled trial to date, the IMPACT study, found an 83% reduction in endoscopically identified esophageal lesions when using the active cooling, with a dedicated device, compared to standard esophageal monitoring, with no difference in Atrial Fibrillation recurrence rates at follow-up. Recent analyses have suggested additional effects from active esophageal cooling during pulmonary vein isolation, including reductions in procedure time, reductions in fluoroscopy usage, reductions in post-ablation discomfort, and improvements in long-term freedom from arrhythmia. Further investigation of these associations is important to better understand the magnitude of these findings in a variety of clinical settings.
