Novel non-thermal atrial fibrillation treatment with photosensitization reaction: Possibility of permanent electrical blockade in rat chronic model

We demonstrated a possibility of electrical conduction block by ex vivo and in vivo experiments using rat models to establish a non-thermal treatment for atrial fibrillation by photosensitization reaction (PR). One hour after the injection of 2 mg/kg Talaporfin sodium to Wistar rat, the right ventricle (1.4 mmT) was extracted. Paced with a stimulation electrode, this tissue was placed in a tissue bath and immersed in irrigated Tyrode's solution of 37°C with 8 μg/ml Talaporfin sodium and the gas mixture bubbling of 95% CO₂ and 5% O₂. The propagated electrical signal was measured by two bipolar electrodes. Exciting light of 670 nm in wavelength was irradiated to the tissue between the bipolar electrodes by the power density of 1 W/cm ². After this irradiation, propagation signal blockade was obtained and continued up to three hours. Rat atrioventricular (AV) node was employed as a target region for chronic model. The heart of Wistar rat was surgically exposed. External four-lead electrocardiogram of this rat was measured. Thirty minutes after the injection of 10 mg/kg Talaporfin sodium to the rat, exciting light of 663 nm in wavelength was irradiated to the AV node by the power density of 500 mW/cm² for ten minutes. Acute AV block was obtained during the irradiation. Two weeks after this procedure, complete AV block was confirmed. The rat was sacrificed to obtain the tissue specimen. We found that the AV node was replaced by scarring tissue under the microscopic observation of the specimen. We verified possibility of permanent electrical conduction block using PR.