Identification of the SVC-RA junction and measurement of the SVC
sleeve
After the complete PVI procedure, the voltage and activation maps of the
SVC and RA were precisely reconstructed using the CARTO system with a
20-pole PentaRay®catheter (Biosense Webster, Diamond Bar, CA, USA)
during sinus rhythm. The SVC-RA junction was defined as fused SVC
potentials and RA potentials 12,13. The cut-off value
of the voltage map was 0.5–0.1 mV. Less than 0.1 mV was defined as no
electric potential (in the SVC, it was defined as no SVC sleeve). Then,
the length from the SVC-RA junction to the top of the myocardial sleeve
in the SVC was measured. The long and short diameters of the SVC at the
height of the SVC-RA junction were also measured.