Fehmi Keçe

Chapter 3 88 weeks before and after the procedure. Impedance data could have revealed possible interaction between PVAC Gold electrodes. Impedance data was not available however. The final blood sample was taken one day after the ablation. Delayed coagulation effects 3 days after the ablation could not be detected. We did not correct ACE and MES for total RF duration or energy because total RF energy data was not available. Differentiation between solid and gaseous MES would widen the scope of transcranial Doppler MES detection. Dual-frequency insonation during trans-cranial Doppler could have aided in this differentiation. However, despite developments in both signal acquisition techniques and MES classification algorithms, it remains difficult to reliably determine MES composition, especially in clinical settings in which periods with numerous MES may occur. A complete neurological evaluation by a neurologist according to the National Institute of Health Stroke scale could have given more information on the neuropsychological status of patients with ACE. Only 20 patients were included in the reference group for neuropsychological testing. Neuropsychological tests may not have been sensitive enough to detect changes in complex cognitive functions. Long-term effects on cognitive functioning of the new ACE were not studied.