Electroanatomical mapping-guided radiofrequency ablation successfully abolished inducible incisional atrial tachycardias in 90% (9 of 10) of patients with prior congenital heart disease surgery.
Observational (n=10)
Does electroanatomical mapping-guided radiofrequency ablation successfully treat incisional atrial tachycardias in patients with prior congenital heart disease surgery?
Electroanatomical mapping is an effective tool for characterizing macroreentrant circuits and guiding successful radiofrequency ablation in patients with incisional atrial tachycardias following congenital heart surgery.
UNLABELLED: Scar tissue after surgical procedures for congenital heart disease may create a complex arrhythmogenic substrate and expose patients to the risk of "incisional" tachycardia. We report the usefulness of electroanatomical mapping in the characterization of reentrant circuits and identification of sites of successful radiofrequency (RF) ablation. METHODS: Electroanatomical mapping was used to draw activation maps of the right atrium in 6 men and 4 women (mean age 45 +/- 13.7 years) with 21 atrial tachycardias after corrections of atrial septal defects (n = 6) or tetralogy of Fallot (n = 4). The critical isthmus of reentrant circuits was ablated by RF energy. RESULTS: Macroreentrant circuits were localized on the posterolateral wall of the right atrium in all cases. Scar tissue in that region often contained several pathways that allowed induction of different tachycardias. Interruption of all slow conducting pathways successfully abolished all inducible tachycardias. The cavotricuspid isthmus participated in a figure-of-eight reentrant circuit or in a typical flutter circuit in 6 patients. RF ablation was successful in all but one patient, without significant complications. CONCLUSION: Electrocanatomical mapping allows the precise description of macroreentrant circuits and the identification of all slow conducting pathways. It is a powerful tool for the planning of ablation lines, navigation of ablation catheter, and verification of conduction block.
Peichl et al. (Wed,) conducted a observational in Incisional atrial tachycardias post-congenital heart disease surgery (n=10). Electroanatomical mapping and radiofrequency ablation was evaluated on Successful radiofrequency ablation. Electroanatomical mapping-guided radiofrequency ablation successfully abolished inducible incisional atrial tachycardias in 90% (9 of 10) of patients with prior congenital heart disease surgery.