4.1 Factors for an effective CST ablation
During CST ablation for PV isolation, PV potentials sometimes remain
even if the targeted PV is perfectly occluded and the NT is low enough
to freeze the PV ostium. Following the recognition of the CST phenomenon
by Chun et al.,13 the CST ablation technique was
introduced into the ablation setting. Previous studies reported that
complete occlusion of the superior PVs was one of the proposed factors
for an effective CST ablation; however, it was not statistically
analyzed.13,14 By comparing the ablation data among
the CST success, failure, and control groups, we were able to obtain the
sensitivity and specificity of factors for a successful CST ablation and
proposed two highly predictable factors for CST ablation—namely, NT
≤-46°C and complete PV occlusion during CB ablation of the superior PVs.