ProGlide venous closure device facilitates early ambulation following cryoablation of atrial fibrillation
Authors: Wong G , Ahmed D , Creta A , Honarbakhsh S , Kanthasamy V , Maclean E , Sawhney V , Earley M , Hunter R , Schilling RJ , Finlay M 
Published: May 2021

Funding Acknowledgements

Type of funding sources: Foundation. Main funding source(s): Heart Foundation

Background

Same-day discharge following atrial fibrillation (AF) ablation is increasingly common. ProGlide device suture-mediated vascular closure (PD) offers a technique that may expedite mobilisation following large-bore (&gt;12F) venous access. The utility of PD closure following cryoablation of AF has not been reported.

Purpose

We sought to evaluate haemostasis and early ambulation outcomes in patients receiving the ProGlide compared with conventional techniques.

Methods

104 consecutive patients undergoing cryoballoon pulmonary vein isolation (PVI) for paroxysmal or persistent at a single high-volume institution were included. PVI was  performed via a standardised approach including sedation, ultrasound-guided vascular access for 14F Cryosheath and second 7F sheath, anticoagulation protocol, transeptal puncture, 28mm cryoballoon and nurse-led same-day discharge protocol. Haemostasis was achieved using the Perclose Proglide device (PD) in the 14F access point ("pre-closure" technique) plus 5 minutes manual pressure at the 7F sheath site. Alternatively, a figure-of-eight/Z-suture (ZS) was employed for closure according to operator preference. Protamine was used for heparin reversal in all patients. Safety outcomes of major bleeding, haematoma and minor bleeding were assessed. Time to ambulation (TTA), time to discharge (TTD), same-day discharge and complications at initial follow-up were measured.

Results

Overall, mean age was 64 ± 11 years, 65 (64%) were male and 52 (50%) of patients had paroxysmal AF, there were no significant differences between group demographics, with 31 patients (30%) in the PD group and 73 (70%) in the ZS group. All patients had uninterrupted oral anticoagulation throughout the periprocedural period. No major femoral bleeding complications requiring intervention occurred in either group. Haematomas occurred in none of the PD group compared with 2 (2.8%) in the ZS group. Incidence of minor bleeding was not significantly different between groups (PD: 3 [9.7%] vs ZS: 2 [2.7%], p = 0.155). Mean TTA was significantly shorter in the PD group (3.3 ± 1.1 vs 4.1 ± 1.7 hrs, p = 0.025). However, there was no significant difference in same-day discharge (PD: 25 [81%] vs ZS: 53 [73%], p = 0.386) and TTD (5.0 ± 3.6 vs 6.1 ± 4.2 hrs, p = 0.275) between groups. 1 patient complained of groin pain which delayed discharge in the ZS group not seen in the PD group. After a mean follow-up of 2.2 ± 1.4 months, there were no differences in major or minor complications.

Conclusion

Use of the Proglide closure device was associated with significant reductions in time to ambulation compared with Z-suture haemostasis following cryoablation of AF, and groin access complications were uncommon across groups.  PD closure may contribute to further streamlining patient pathways in day-case AF ablation.