Abstract 13413: Silent Cerebral Ischemic Lesions After Atrial Fibrillation Ablation Among Oral Anticoagulants: Predictors of Diffusion-Weighted Imaging-Positive Lesions and Follow-up Study

Purpose: We aimed to identify the predictors of silent cerebral ischemic lesions (SCILs) detected on diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) after catheter ablation of atrial fibrillation (AF) in patients with oral anticoagulants (OACs), and to determine whether postablation DWI-positive lesions develop into established cerebral infarcts or not on follow-up magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Methods: This study prospectively included 183 consecutive AF patients (65±9 years; 133 males; paroxysmal/persistent/long-standing persistent AF [LSP-AF], 93/58/32) who received OAC therapy more than 3 weeks before an AF ablation and underwent MRI on the next day after the procedure. Warfarin (n=30; group W) was continued, while dabigatran (n=30; group D), rivaroxaban (n=62; group R), and apixaban (n=61; group A) were discontinued on the day of the procedure. Just after the femoral venous puncture during the procedure, a heparin bolus of 5000 units in group W and 10000 units in the others was given, followed by a continuous a...