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Background Ablation of the left atrium with radiofrequency (RF) energy is associated with some risks to the esophagus. Cooling the esophagus has been used as one approach to reducing esophageal injury, most commonly with direct instillation of cold liquid via gastric tube placed in the esophagus. A new esophageal cooling device avoids the risks of free liquid instillation by using a closed-loop system, and avoids the need for frequent repositioning or stopping of the procedure often required when utilizing luminal esophageal temperature (LET) monitoring. This in turn may reduce fluoroscopy requirements for the procedure. Purpose Measure the difference in fluoroscopy time required during RF ablation using an esophageal cooling device protocol, and compare this to standard LET monitoring using single or multi-sensor temperature probes. Methods We obtained total fluoroscopy time per patient from records of RF ablation procedures performed by a two operators over a 12 month period. We compared fluoroscopy times between patients treated with an esophageal cooling device to control patients who were treated with LET monitoring using either single-sensor or multi-sensor temperature probes. Results Fluoroscopy times were available for a total of 179 patients treated with an esophageal cooling device, and 118 patients treated with LET monitoring over the 12 month study period. Mean fluoroscopy time for patients treated with esophageal cooling was 4.0 minutes (SD 4.9 minutes) with a median of 2.0 minutes (IQR 1.3 to 3.8 minutes). Mean fluoroscopy time for patients undergoing LET monitoring was 5.5 minutes (SD 5.7 minutes) with a median of 3.0 minutes (IQR 1.9 to 8.4 minutes). This difference represents a 27% reduction in mean fluoroscopy time, and a 33% reduction in median fluoroscopy time in the esophageal cooling group (p Conclusions Fluoroscopy requirements were reduced by 27% with an esophageal cooling device when compared to standard LET monitoring.

Introduction Recent clinical data show that high-power, short-duration (HPSD) radiofrequency (RF) ablation can result in a similar esophageal injury rate as traditional low-power, long-duration (LPLD) ablation. Existing methods to prevent esophageal injury have yielded mixed results and can result in prolonged procedure time, potentially increasing the incidence of post-operative cognitive dysfunction. A new esophageal cooling device currently available for whole-body temperature modulation is being studied for the prevention of esophageal injury during LPLD RF ablation and cryoablation. We sought to develop a mathematical model of HPSD ablation in order to quantify the capability of this new esophageal cooling device to protect from esophageal injury under high-power conditions. Methods Using a model we developed of HPSD RF ablation in the left atrium, we measured the change in esophageal lesion formation and the depth of lesions (measured as percent transmurality) with the esophageal cooling device in place and operating at a temperature from 5°C to 37°C. Tissue parameters, including thermal conductivity, were set to average values obtained from existing literature, and energy settings were evaluated at 50W for between 5 and 10 seconds, and at 90W for a duration of 4 seconds. Results Esophageal injury as measured by percent transmurality was considerably higher at 50W and 10s duration than at 90W of power with 4s duration, although both settings showed potential for esophageal injury. The protective effect of the esophageal cooling device was evident for both cases, with a greater effect when using 50W for 10s (Figure 1). At the coldest device settings, using a 5 min pre-cooling period also reduced the transmurality of the intended atrial lesions. Esophageal protection in HPSD ablation Conclusions Esophageal cooling with a new patient temperature management device shows protective effects against thermal injury during RF ablation across a range of tissue thermal conductivity, using a variety of high-power settings, including 90W applied for 4 seconds. Adjusting the cooling power by adjusting the circulating water temperature in the device allows for a tailoring of the protective effects to operating conditions. Acknowledgement/Funding Attune Medical

The built environment is commonly cited as a facilitator to local walking. Although health promotion programs targeting physical activity are available, few studies have investigated the associations of the perceived neighborhoods with the incidence of falls in the minority communities. Hence, the purpose of this preliminary study was to understand whether the perceived built environment influenced the fall experiences in older adults living in the underserved community. The preliminary cross-sectional survey was conducted at the regional health clinic in Flint, MI. Descriptive statistics and analysis of variance (ANOVA) were performed using SAS v8.4. The eligibility criteria included over 65 years old and Flint residents. Of 132 participants, the mean age was 69.75 (SD=5.00). The majority were female (68%), African Americans (80%), single, divorced or widowed (80%), and > GED (84%). The ANOVAs supported that “had fallen in the past year” was associated with “stores are within easy walking distance,” “easy to walk to a transit stop” and “there is a dirt strip that separates the streets from the sidewalks.” The fall experience was more likely to associate with the sedentary lifestyle and the comorbidities such as diabetes, fatigues, muscle spasms, and chronic pain. To summarize, the built environment increased the incidence of falls in the past year. Those who had fallen had poor health conditions. Further studies are needed for older adults to engage in physical activity. It is essential to develop the age-friendly support systems and accommodations to local walking in this community.