Radiofrequency catheter ablation for AV nodal reentrant tachycardias (AVNRT).

Radiofrequency (RF) catheter ablation is the curative treatment of choice for atrioventricular (AV) nodal reentrant tachycardia (AVNRT). Analogous to the development of surgical techniques, catheter ablation has evolved from AV nodal ablation to selective "fast" and "slow" pathway ablation. "Slow" ablation is now the method of choice because of the lower incidence of associated AV block. Though slow pathway ablation can be achieved with equal success using either the anatomic or the electrogram-guided approach, fewer applications of RF energy are required for the potential-guided technique.

Myocardial protection with calcium-channel blockers during ischaemia and reperfusion by PTCA.

The effects of calcium channel blockers on acute myocardial ischaemia have been evaluated over the past two decades. A number of experimental studies have demonstrated that calcium antagonists protect the myocardium when administered before or during PTCA. Intracoronary verapamil prior to the second inflation attenuates the severity of ischaemic ST-segment changes and anginal pain. Heart rate and blood pressure are not influenced by verapamil or placebo. Similarly, there are multiple clinical and biological data suggesting that intracoronary nifedipine, diltiazem or bepridil, and intracoronary or intravenous nicardipine might result in a reduced incidence of myocardial ischaemia during PTCA. The beneficial effect of these drugs can be explained by a direct cardioprotective effect or by an enhanced collateral flow and haemodynamic improvement. During early reperfusion in acute myocardial infarction (AMI) administration of calcium channel blockers or agents that inhibit calcium release from the sarcoplasmic reticulum can protect hearts from stunning and can decrease the no-reflow phenomenon. The most recent explanation relates this observation to decreased sensitivity of the myofibrils to calcium. Further clinical and experimental studies are necessary to clarify the protective role in reperfusion injury. To summarize, therefore, administration of calcium channel blockers can decrease ischaemia during elective PTCA and can reduce reperfusion injury during early PTCA in AMI.

"T"-shaped stent placement: a technique for the treatment of dissected bifurcation lesions.

Despite operator experience and improved catheter technology, acute vessel closure is inherently associated with percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA) of complex lesions. This case study describes a patient who developed an occlusive dissection post PTCA at the bifurcation of the left anterior descending artery (LAD) and its diagonal branch. The "T"-shaped Wiktor stent placement immediately re-establishes full flow, obviating the necessity for emergent surgery.

Regional disparities of endocardial atrial activation in paroxysmal atrial fibrillation.

UNLABELLED: Previous experimental data suggest that atrial activity is homogeneously distributed during paroxysmal atrial fibrillation (AFib). Little is known about this in human paroxysmal AFib. METHODS: Twenty-five men and two women (mean age 49 +/- 11 years; five with structural heart disease) with paroxysmal AFib for a mean 5 +/- 6.2 years despite the use of a mean of 3.6 +/- 1.7 antiarrhythmic drugs underwent atrial mapping. The right atrium was divided into four regions: posterior (intercaval), lateral, anterior, and septal. A 14-pole catheter was positioned to assess complex electrical activity defined as the duration of continuous electrical activity or electrograms with FF intervals < 100 ms for 60 seconds (expressed as percentage of time). In addition, the left atrium (divided into three regions: posterior, anterior, and septal) was explored in 12 patients with a multipolar catheter. RESULTS: The complex electrical activity time between all the regions explored was significantly different. In the right atrium, the septal (74% +/- 32%; P = 0.02) and the posterior (63% +/- 32%; P = 0.04) areas were significantly more disorganized than the lateral (22% +/-23%) and anterior (21% +/- 26%) regions. In the left atrium, complex electrical activity was predominant and widely distributed (posterior: 87% +/- 11%; septal: 65% +/- 27%) except in the appendage area (anterior region: 18% +/- 14%). CONCLUSIONS: Quantitative assessment of complex electrical activity in both atria in humans shows heterogeneous temporal and spatial distribution. This may have implications for guiding catheter ablation of AFib.

Three-dimensional mapping of the common atrial flutter circuit in the right atrium.

BACKGROUND: The full circuit of common atrial flutter using conventional methods of sequential or multielectrode activation mapping is not completely understood. METHODS AND RESULTS: We performed three-dimensional right atrial endocardial activation mapping during common counterclockwise atrial flutter in 17 patients (16 men, 1 woman; mean age, 53+/-11 years) by using the Cordis-Biosense EP Navigation system and assessed the distribution of estimated conduction velocities and double and fractionated potentials. ECG flutter wave morphologies were compared with activation patterns. Points (91+/-29) were sequentially acquired covering 88+/-11% of the flutter cycle length of 239+/-22 ms. A wide and variable posterior zone of double and fractionated potentials coincided with blocking and colliding wave fronts and formed the posterior limit of the circuit. A progressively widening septal (sep) wave front ascending from just beyond the coronary sinus ostium, passed cranially as a broad front anterior to the superior vena cava (SVC) in 14 patients, whereas fusion around the SVC formed the superior (sup) limb of the circuit in 3. Bounded anteriorly by the tricuspid valve, the wave front descended down the lateral (lat) aspect of the right atrium before completing the circuit in all cases through the inferior vena cava-tricuspid annulus isthmus. The estimated conduction velocity in the medial isthmus (0.6+/-0.3 m/s) was lower than in the other limbs of the circuit (sup=1+/-0.5 m/s, lat=1+/-0.5 m/s, sep=0.9+/-0.4 m/s, P=.05). Double and fractionated potentials were constant and more prevalent in the posterior right atrium. ECG flutter wave morphology did not correlate with three-dimensional activation maps. CONCLUSIONS: Interindividual variations occur in the right atrial circuit of common atrial flutter, with constant activation through the cavotricuspid isthmus. A variable zone of block forms the posterior limit. Fusion around the SVC can occur, and ascending medial septal activation does not follow a consistent pattern.

A focal source of atrial fibrillation treated by discrete radiofrequency ablation.

BACKGROUND: Atrial fibrillation is usually thought to be due to multiple circulating reentrant wavelets. From previous studies, a focal mechanism is considered to be very unlikely. In this report, focal atrial fibrillation is defined on an ECG pattern of atrial fibrillation and later demonstrated to be due to a focal source. METHODS AND RESULTS: Nine patients (five men and four women, age, 38 +/- 7 years) with paroxysmal focal atrial fibrillation are reported here. All were free of structural heart disease and had frequent episodes of atrial fibrillation despite the use of a mean of 4 +/- 2 antiarrhythmic drugs. Atrial fibrillation was associated with runs of irregular atrial tachycardia or monomorphic extrasystoles. The electrophysiological study demonstrated that all the atrial arrhythmias were due to the same focus firing irregularly and exhibiting a consistent and centrifugal pattern of activation. Three foci were found to be located in the right atrium, two near the sinus node and one in the ostium of the coronary sinus. Six others were located in the left atrium at the ostium of the right pulmonary veins (n = 5) and at the ostium of the left superior pulmonary vein (n = 1). All atrial arrhythmias were successfully treated by use of a mean of 4 +/- 4 radiofrequency pulses. CONCLUSIONS: In some patients, the surface ECG pattern of atrial fibrillation is due to a focal rapidly firing source of activity that can be eliminated by discrete radiofrequency energy applications.

Right and left atrial radiofrequency catheter therapy of paroxysmal atrial fibrillation.

INTRODUCTION: Atrial fibrillation (AF), the most common arrhythmia, is due to multiple simultaneous wavelets of reentry in the atria. The only available curative treatment is surgical, using atriotomies to compartmentalize the atria. Therefore, we investigated a staged anatomical approach using radiofrequency catheter ablation lines to prevent paroxysmal AF. METHODS AND RESULTS: Forty-five patients with frequent symptomatic drug-refractory episodes of paroxysmal AF were studied. Progressively complex linear lesions were created by sequential applications of radiofrequency current in the right atrium and then in the left atrium if required. The outcome of the procedure was considered a success when the episodes of AF were either eliminated or recurred at a rate of no more than one episode (lasting < 6 hours) in 3 months. Patients who had no more than one episode per month were considered "improved." Right atrial ablation organized local electrical activity and led to stable sinus rhythm during the procedure in 18 (40%) of the 45 patients. However, sustained AF remained inducible in 40 of 45 patients, and the lesions failed to produce evidence of a significant linear conduction block/delay in all but four patients. There were no significant complications except for two transient sinus node dysfunctions. The procedure duration and fluoroscopic time were 248 +/- 79 and 53 +/- 22 min, respectively. Additional sessions were required in 19 patients to treat sustained right atrial flutter or arrhythmias linked to ectopic right or left atrial foci. During a mean follow-up of 11 +/- 4 months, right atrial ablation was successful in 15 (33%) patients, 6 without medication and 9 with a previously ineffective drug. Nine (20%) additional patients were improved. Ten patients with an unsuccessful outcome then underwent linear ablation in the left atrium. The procedure duration and fluoroscopy time were 292 +/- 94 and 66 +/- 24 min. A hemopericardium occurred in one patient. Two patients required reablation to treat ectopic atrial foci. Left atrial ablation terminated AF during the procedure in 8 patients, and sustained AF could not be induced in 5. Subsequent success was achieved in 6 (60%) patients, including 4 without medication, and 1 additional patient was improved. CONCLUSIONS: Successful radiofrequency catheter ablation of drug-refractory daily paroxysmal AF is feasible using linear atrial lesions complemented by focal ablation targeted at arrhythmogenic foci. Ablation only in the right atrium is a safe technique providing limited success, whereas linear lesions in the left atrium significantly increase the incidence of stable restoration of sinus rhythm, the inability to induce sustained AF, and the final success rate. The described technique is promising but must be considered preliminary because significant improvements are required to optimize lesion characteristics and shorten total procedure duration.

Radiofrequency catheter ablation of common atrial flutter in 200 patients.

INTRODUCTION: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the efficacy and safety of radiofrequency (RF) catheter ablation of common atrial flutter and to determine the optimum target sites in a large series of patients. Three different approaches were used to target the ablation site. The first used a combined anatomic and electrophysiologic approach, whereas the second and the third approaches relied primarily on anatomic guidelines to target the critical area in the atrial flutter reentrant circuit located in the low right atrium. BACKGROUND: Recent studies report the efficacy of RF current application in the low right atrial region to interrupt and prevent recurrences of common atrial flutter using either anatomic or electrophysiologic targets. However, larger groups of patients are required to confirm the efficacy of this technique and to specify the target sites. METHODS AND RESULTS: Two hundred consecutive patients with drug-resistant common atrial flutter were studied. In the first 50 patients, target sites were localized using both anatomic landmarks and electrophysiologic parameters. The anatomic landmarks were area 1 between the tricuspid valve and inferior vena cava orifice; area 2 between the tricuspid valve and coronary sinus ostium; and area 3 between the inferior vena and coronary sinus. The electrophysiologic criterion was to ablate when there was an atrial electrogram occurring during the plateau phase (preceding F wave). The first targeted area was that giving the more stable catheter position. In the following 30 patients, we assessed the effect of RF energy application in a single line to area 1 in the first 10 patients, area 2 in the next 10, and area 3 in the last 10 patients. In the last 120 patients, RF energy was applied only in area 1 using repeated applications. RF energy of 12 to 30 W, or that achieving a temperature of 70 degrees C, was applied for 60 to 90 seconds at each site. The endpoint of the ablation procedure was interruption and noninducibility of common atrial flutter in the first 110 patients and additional isthmal block in 48 of the last 90 patients. Overall, atrial flutter was interrupted and rendered noninducible after a single session in 191 (95%) patients and could not be interrupted in 9 (4.5%) patients. The mean number of RF applications was 12 +/- 8. After a mean follow-up of 24 +/- 9 months, recurrences occurred in 31 (15.5%) patients, 26 of whom underwent a successful second or third session without further recurrences of atrial flutter. Atrial fibrillation not documented before the ablation was detected in 11 patients. On a retrospective analysis of the final successful site in the first group of 50 patients, the location was in area 1 in 39% of patients; area 2 in 36% of patients, and area 3 in 25% of patients. Atrial electrograms recorded at these sites showed a single spike pattern in 46% of patients, and double spike pattern (28%) or fractioned electrogram in 26% patients. When lines of RF lesions were placed at several sites, they produced a success rate of 70%, 40%, and 10% at areas 1, 2, and 3 respectively. In the last series of 120 patients, the procedure was successful in 119 patients: 92% of whom were successfully treated only by a linear lesion between the tricuspid annulus isthmus and the inferior vena cava, and the other 8% by additional applications near the coronary sinus ostium. No complications were observed. CONCLUSIONS: RF catheter ablation of atrial flutter can be done with a high success rate and is safe. The highest success rate is achieved with RF energy applied in the isthmus between the inferior vena cava orifice and the tricuspid valve. However, 15.5% of patients need multiple sessions to achieve success because of recurrence of flutter. Further follow-up is needed to evaluate the long-term effects of this procedure.