Lesion Contiguity
The continuous, gap-free connection between adjacent ablation lesions. Essential for creating effective conduction block and preventing arrhythmia recurrence.
Full Definition
Lesion contiguity refers to the creation of continuous, overlapping ablation lesions without gaps that could serve as conduction pathways for arrhythmia circuits. Achieving optimal lesion contiguity is fundamental to successful catheter ablation, particularly for linear lesions and circumferential isolation procedures. Gaps in lesion lines can result in incomplete conduction block, allowing for arrhythmia persistence or development of new macro-reentrant circuits. Modern ablation techniques emphasize careful attention to lesion placement, adequate overlap between adjacent points, and confirmation of conduction block across linear lesions. Advanced mapping systems now provide visual feedback on lesion contiguity and may highlight potential gaps requiring additional ablation. Poor lesion contiguity is a major cause of procedure failure and arrhythmia recurrence.
Usage
Usage note: Critical concept for successful ablation outcomes. Often visualized on mapping systems.
In Context
- "Careful attention to lesion contiguity was maintained during linear ablation of the cavotricuspid isthmus." — procedure documentation
- "Poor lesion contiguity was identified as the cause of arrhythmia recurrence." — follow-up assessment