Prospective randomised comparison of irrigated-tip and large-tip catheter ablation of cavotricuspid isthmus-dependent atrial flutter*1

BackgroundSupraventricular tachycardia (SVT) occurs commonly and is strongly correlated with clinical deterioration in patients with pulmonary hypertension (PH). This study aimed to investigate the feasibility and long-term outcome of radiofrequency catheter ablation (RFCA) in PH patients with SVT.Materials and MethodsConsecutive PH patients with SVT who were scheduled to undergo electrophysiological study and RFCA between September 2010 and July 2019 were included. The acute results and long-term success of RFCA were assessed after the procedure.ResultsIn total, 71 PH patients with 76 episodes of SVT were analyzed. Cavotricuspid isthmus-dependent atrial flutter (n = 33, 43.5%) was the most common SVT type, followed by atrioventricular nodal reentrant tachycardia (n = 16, 21.1%). Of the 71 patients, 60 (84.5%) underwent successful electrophysiological study and were subsequently treated by RFCA. Among them, acute sinus rhythm was restored in 54 (90.0%) patients, and procedure-related complications were observed in 4 (6.7%) patients. Univariate logistic regression analysis showed that cavotricuspid isthmus-independent atrial flutter [odds ratio (OR) 25.00, 95% confidence interval (CI) 3.45–180.98, p = 0.001] and wider pulmonary artery diameter (OR 1.19, 95% CI 1.03–1.38; p = 0.016) were associated with RFCA failure. During a median follow-up of 36 (range, 3–108) months, 7 patients with atrial flutter experienced recurrence, yielding a 78.3% 3-year success rate for RFCA treatment.ConclusionThe findings suggest that RFCA of SVT in PH patients is feasible and has a good long-term success rate. Cavotricuspid isthmus-independent atrial flutter and a wider PAD could increase the risk for ablation failure.

Download Full-text

178 Catheter inversion during cavotricuspid isthmus catheter ablation: the new shaft visualization catheter reduces fluoroscopy use

European Heart Journal Supplements ◽

10.1093/eurheartj/suab127.042 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 23 (Supplement_G) ◽

Author(s):

Nicolò Sisti ◽

Amato Santoro ◽

Claudia Baiocchi

Keyword(s):

Catheter Ablation ◽

Atrial Flutter ◽

Linear Correlation ◽

Procedure Time ◽

Ablation Catheter ◽

Anatomical Characteristics ◽

Cavotricuspid Isthmus ◽

Group 2 ◽

Zero Fluoroscopy ◽

Group 1

Abstract Aims Catheter ablation (CA) is the choice therapy of cavotricuspid isthmus (CTI) atrial flutter. The aim of this study was to describe our approach to improve the CTI ablation using a zero-fluoroscopy (ZF). The procedural difficulties could be related to anatomical characteristics of the CTI. Methods and results One hundred eighty-eight patients that performed CA of CTI were retrospectively and consecutively evaluated between 2017 and 2019. The studied population was divided into two groups. Eighty-eight patients who were undergone CA using ablation catheter without shaft visualization catheter (NSV) were Group 1. One hundred patients were undergone CA using ablation catheter with a shaft visualization (SV); they were Group 2. The catheter was looped at the Eustachian ridge after 200 s of radiofrequencies (RF) without elimination of local electrogram. A conduction line block of CTI was obtained in all patients of Group 2 using a ZF approach. In 16 patients of Group 1, the catheter inversion was obtained using fluoroscopy to avoid damages during its loop. In Group 2, a complete CTI block was obtained with a catheter inversion approach in 10 patients without fluoroscopy, visualizing the shaft and the tip of the ablation catheter on the electroanatomic (EAM) map. In the overall population studied the use of SV had a linear correlation with the ZF approach (r = 0.629; P < 0.001). The duration of RF was lower in Group 2 than in Group 1 (Group 1: 27.8 ± 6.3 vs. Group 2: 15.6 ± 7.2 min; P < 0.01). The procedure time between two groups was lower in Group 2 than in Group 1 (Group 1: 58.4 ± 22.4 vs. Group 2: 42.2 ± 15.7 min; P < 0.01). No differences between two groups were documented regarding success and complications. Conclusions The visualization of the shaft’s catheter on the EAM permitted the catheter inversion safely in order to overcome some complex CTI anatomy and obtain bidirectional block. The SV reduced procedure time, RF applications, and fluoroscopy exposition during CTI ablation.

Download Full-text