P5689First intention epicardial VT ablation: what are the results?

Introduction Ventricular tachycardia (VT) endocardial mapping and ablation may not be sufficient in several arrhythmogenic contexts, because ventricular myocardium may comprise intricate endocardial, intramural and epicardial substract. Thus, epicardial ablation has lately become a complementary and necessary tool to approach some VTs in different types of cardiomyopathies. Purposes To evaluate the clinical characteristics of patient most suitable for first intention epicardial VT ablation and to describe our centre experience. Methods Single-centre prospective study of consecutive patients (pts) undergoing isolated first intention epicardial VT mapping and ablation since August 2015. All pts had clinical assessment, electrocardiogram (ECG), echocardiogram and cardiac magnetic resonance when feasible. Pts with a previous endocardial ablation were excluded. Epicardial subxiphoid access utilizing a tuhoy needle was performed under fluoroscopic guidance. High-density mapping was performed using CARTO® V4 and EnSite PrecisionTM systems and multipolar catheters. Radiofrequency energy was applied with an irrigated-tip catheter. Results First intention epicardial VT ablation was attempted in 12 pts (mean age 57.6±14.6 years, 91% male). The majority had non-ischemic dilated cardiomyopathy, of unknown aetiology in 59%, hereditary dilated cardiomyopathy in 17% ethanolic origin in 8% and post-myocarditis in 8%. Right Ventricular Arrhythmogenic Cardiomyopathy was present in 1 patient. As expected, our population presented a mean ejection fraction of 29% and 11 pts (92%) had an implantable cardioverter defibrillator - ICD (55% as primary prevention, 45% as secondary prevention). All pts had experienced symptomatic VT, with all ICD carriers receiving appropriate shocks. Only 4 pts had an available 12 lead ECG of the VT, and all of them had a QS pattern in lead aVL and a slurred initial QRS complex. The majority of patients presented low voltage areas and local abnormal ventricular activities at the epicardial surface, with the exception of 2 pts in whom ablation was not performed (one non-ischemic cardiomyopathy of ethanolic aetiology and the other of unknown origin). Mean ablation application time was 68 minutes, with an average maximum power of 39.9 watts. Mean overall procedure and fluoroscopic time was 132 and 24 minutes, respectively, with no major intraprocedural complications. During a mean follow-up of 307±328 days, 3 pts died (mean 121 days after procedure), 3 had recurrent VT episodes and ICD shocks, and 2 received heart transplant. Conclusion In selected pts, with non-ischemic dilated cardiomyopathy and ECG with QS pattern in aVL and slurred QRS, epicardial VT mapping and ablation may be used as first approach, preventing unnecessary endocardial mapping. This procedure demonstrated to be safe.