scholarly journals Technique for detecting an electrical connection between the right atrium and right pulmonary venous carina

Author(s):  
Ippei Tsuboi ◽  
Michio Ogano ◽  
Kei Kimura ◽  
Hidekazu Kawanaka ◽  
Masaharu Tajiri ◽  
...  

Introduction: There is increasing evidence of the epicardial connection between the right-sided pulmonary vein (PV) carina and right atrium interrupts right-sided PV isolation after circumferential PV ablation in patients with atrial fibrillation. In such cases, carina ablation is often required. This study aimed to assess the utility of the right atrial posterior wall (RAPW) pacing in the detection of the right-sided epicardial connection (EC), evaluate the requirement for additional carina ablation after circumferential pulmonary vein (PV) ablation depending on the presence of EC, and investigate the clinical characteristics including the amount of epicardial adipose tissue (EAT) in patients with ECs. Methods and Results: Forty-one patients scheduled for PV isolation were enrolled. Before ablation, activation mapping of the LA was prospectively performed during pacing from the RAPW. EC was observed in 12 patients (EC group, 29%), whereas no EC was observed in the remaining 29 patients (non-EC group, 71%). For PV isolation, carina ablation was required in addition to circumferential ablation in 7 patients (58%) in the EC group, compared to 2 patients (7%) in the non-EC group (p < 0.003). Periatrial and intercaval EAT volumes were significantly lower (12.8 ± 6.2 vs. 23.1 ± 13.9 ml/m , p < 0.02, and 1.1 ± 0.8 vs. 2.2 ± 1.6 ml/m , p< 0.02, respectively) and the patients were younger (66.5 ± 6.6 vs. 72.4 ± 8.3 years, p < 0.03) in the EC group than in the non-EC group. Conclusions: RAPW pacing revealed EC between the RA and right PV carina in nearly a quarter of the patients.

EP Europace ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 22 (Supplement_1) ◽  
Author(s):  
D Valbom Mesquita ◽  
L Parreira ◽  
P Carmo ◽  
P Amador ◽  
D Cavaco ◽  
...  

Abstract Background In patients with significant bradyarrhytmias, cardiac denervation is an alternative therapeutic approach. Previous reports proposed different methods (as high frequency ednocardial stimulation of ganglionated plexus and specific atrial electrogram identification) and targets (right and left atrial ganglionated plexus) for adequate denervation. There is no consensus on the best way to perform these procedures, in spite the right atrial ganglia plexus (GP) ablation seeming to be the most contributive to its success. Purpose To assess the results of a purely anatomic approach for ablation of just the right atrial plexus in patients with severe vagal bradyarrhytmias. Methods We enrolled patients referred for ablation of cardiac parasympathetic ganglia, with or without atrial fibrillation ablation.  We performed eletroanatomic mapping of the right and left atria and used an irrigated tip catheter for ablation, aiming at the anterior right GP at the right pulmonary veins antrum along with ablation at the superior vena cava junction and the inferior right GP at the posterior aspect of the right inferior pulmonary vein along with ablation of the right aspect of the interatrial septum, between the posterior wall and coronary sinus ostium (Figure 1). We assessed the PW and Wenckenback cycle lengths (CL) pre and post procedure in patients with sinus arrest or AV block, respectively, and the patients had new 24h holter readings at least 30 days from the index procedure. Results We enrolled 12 patients: 9 males (75%), median age of 49,5 years (IQR 36-61,75). All patients had structurally normal hearts. 7 patients had only ablation of the parasympathetic ganglia and 5 patients had simultaneous pulmonary vein isolation for previously documented atrial fibrillation. 7 patients (58,3%) had sinus bradycardia (2 patients had sinus arrest with pauses of 8 and 13 seconds), 2 patients with cardioinhibitory syncope (with pauses of 23 and 28 seconds) and 3 patients had transient high degree AV block. The ablation procedure led to a median sinus rate acceleration of 15 bpm (IQR 3-29), a median decrease of 320 ms in PW (IQR 23,75-609,5) in patients with sinus arrest and a decrease of 80 ms in wenckenback CL (IQR 60-200) in patients with AV block. With a median follow up of 133,50 days (IQR 36-61,75), no patient had recurrence of symptoms or conduction disturbances. Conclusions In selected patients with severe functional paroxysmal bradyarrhytmias, cardiac denervation using an ablation strategy purely based on anatomic aspects and targeting only the right GP, seems to be an effective therapeutic approach. Abstract Figure 1: Abl of right ganglionated plex


2019 ◽  
Vol 56 (1) ◽  
pp. 79-86
Author(s):  
Mindy Vroomen ◽  
Jules R Olsthoorn ◽  
Bart Maesen ◽  
Vladimir L’Espoir ◽  
Mark La Meir ◽  
...  

Abstract OBJECTIVES Epicardial adipose tissue volume (EAT-V) has been linked to atrial fibrillation (AF) recurrences after catheter ablation. We retrospectively studied the association between atrial EAT-V and outcome after hybrid AF ablation (epicardial surgical and endocardial catheter ablation). METHODS On preoperative cardiac computed tomography angiography scans, the left atrium and right atrium were manually delineated using the open source ImageJ. With custom-made automated software, the number of pixels in the regions of interest on each slice was calculated. On the basis of the Hounsfield units, pixel size and slice thickness, EAT-V was computed and normalized in relation to the body surface area (BSA) and the myocardial tissue volume. RESULTS Eighty-five patients were included. Left atrial and right atrial EAT-V normalized to BSA were not significantly different between paroxysmal and persistent AF [0.84 (0.51–1.50) vs 0.81 (0.57–1.18), 1.74 (1.02–2.56) vs 1.55 (1.26–2.18), all P = 0.9], neither between the acute conduction block and no acute conduction block in the epicardial box lesion [0.92 (0.55–1.39) vs 0.72 (0.55–1.24), P = 0.5, right atrium not applicable], nor between the sinus rhythm and arrhythmia recurrence after 12 months [0.88 (0.55–1.48) vs 0.63 (0.47–1.10), 1.61 (1.11–2.50) vs 1.55 (1.20–2.20), all P > 0.1]. Left atrial EAT-V normalized to myocardial tissue volume was not different between the groups. CONCLUSIONS This study could neither confirm that EAT-V was predictive of recurrence of supraventricular arrhythmias in patients undergoing a hybrid AF ablation, nor that EAT-V was different between patients with paroxysmal AF and persistent and long-standing persistent AF. This suggests that EAT-V might not affect the outcome in surgical ablation procedures and therefore should not influence preoperative or intraoperative decision-making.


2002 ◽  
Vol 283 (3) ◽  
pp. H1244-H1252 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shengmei Zhou ◽  
Che-Ming Chang ◽  
Tsu-Juey Wu ◽  
Yasushi Miyauchi ◽  
Yuji Okuyama ◽  
...  

Repetitive rapid activities are present in the pulmonary veins (PVs) in dogs with pacing-induced sustained atrial fibrillation (AF). The mechanisms are unclear. We induced sustained (>48 h) AF by rapidly pacing the left atrium (LA) in six dogs. High-density computerized mapping was done in the PVs and atria. Results show repetitive focal activations in all dogs and in 12 of 18 mapped PVs. Activation originated from the middle of the PV and then propagated to the LA and distal PV with conduction blocks. The right atrium (RA) was usually activated by a single large wavefront. Mean AF cycle length in the PVs (left superior, 82 ± 6 ms; left inferior, 83 ± 6 ms; right inferior, 83 ± 4 ms) and LA posterior wall (87 ± 5 ms) were significantly ( P < 0.05) shorter than those in the LA anterior wall (92 ± 4 ms) and RA (107 ± 5 ms). PVs in normal dogs did not have focal activations during induced AF. No reentrant wavefronts were demonstrated in the PVs. We conclude that nonreentrant focal activations are present in the PVs in a canine model of pacing-induced sustained AF.


2004 ◽  
Vol 287 (5) ◽  
pp. H2324-H2331 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ulrich Schotten ◽  
Sunniva de Haan ◽  
Hans-Ruprecht Neuberger ◽  
Sabine Eijsbouts ◽  
Yuri Blaauw ◽  
...  

Atrial fibrillation (AF) induces a progressive dilatation of the atria which in turn might promote the arrhythmia. The mechanism of atrial dilatation during AF is not known. To test the hypothesis that loss of atrial contractile function is a primary cause of atrial dilatation during the first days of AF, eight goats were chronically instrumented with epicardial electrodes, a pressure transducer in the right atrium, and piezoelectric crystals to measure right atrial diameter. AF was induced with the use of repetitive burst pacing. Atrial contractility was assessed during sinus rhythm, atrial pacing (160-, 300-, and 400-ms cycle length), and electrically induced AF. The compliance of the fibrillating right atrium was measured during unloading the atria with diuretics and loading with 1 liter of saline. All measurements were repeated after 6, 12, and 24 h of AF and then once a day during the first 5 days of AF. Recovery of the observed changes after spontaneous cardioversion was also studied. After 5 days of AF, atrial contractility during sinus rhythm or slow atrial pacing was greatly reduced. During rapid pacing (160 ms) or AF, the amplitude of the atrial pressure waves had declined to 20% of control. The compliance of the fibrillating atria increased twofold, whereas the right atrial pressure was unchanged. As a result, the mean right atrial diameter increased by ∼12%. All changes were reversible within 3 days of sinus rhythm. We conclude that atrial dilatation during the first days of AF is due to an increase in atrial compliance caused by loss of atrial contractility during AF. Atrial compliance and size are restored when atrial contractility recovers after cardioversion of AF.


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