Key result
Previous cardiac surgery in patients undergoing atrial flutter ablation increased the risk of long-term recurrence compared to no previous surgery (18% vs 10.5%; RR 1.71; 95% CI 1.2-2.5; P=0.006).
Why the study?
Does previous cardiac surgery increase the risk of recurrence after radiofrequency catheter ablation for cavotricuspid isthmus-dependent atrial flutter in adults?
Cohort (n=666)
Does previous cardiac surgery increase the risk of recurrence after radiofrequency catheter ablation for cavotricuspid isthmus-dependent atrial flutter in adults?
Previous cardiac surgery, particularly for complex congenital heart disease, is an independent predictor of long-term recurrence after cavotricuspid isthmus ablation for atrial flutter.
Patients with prior cardiac surgery may need closer post-ablation surveillance; leaves open whether tailored techniques improve outcomes.
AIMS: The aim of this study was to determine the acute and long-term outcome of radiofrequency catheter ablation (RFCA) for cavotricuspid isthmus-dependent atrial flutter (CTI-AFL) in adults with and without previous cardiac surgery (PCS), and predictors of these outcomes. Structural alterations of the anatomical substrate of the CTI-AFL are observed in post-operative patients, and these may have an impact on the acute success of the ablation and in the long-term. METHODS AND RESULTS: Clinical records of consecutive adults undergoing RFCA of CTI-AFL were analysed. Two main groups were considered: No PCS and PCS patients, who were further subdivided into acquired heart disease (AHD: ischaemic heart disease and valvular/mixed heart disease) and congenital heart disease [CHD: ostium secundum atrial septal defect (OS-ASD) and complex CHD]. Multivariate analysis identified clinical and procedural factors that predicted acute and long-term outcomes. A total of 666 patients (73% men, age 65 ± 12 years) were included: 307 of them with PCS. Ablation was successful in 647 patients (97%), 96% in the PCS group and 98% in the No PCS group (P = 0.13). Regression analysis showed that surgically corrected complex CHD was related to failure of the procedure [odds ratio 5.6; 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.6-18, P = 0.008]. After a follow-up of 45 ± 15 months, recurrences were observed in 90 patients (14%), more frequently in the PCS group: absolute risk of recurrence 18 vs. 10.5%, relative risk 1.71, 95% CI: 1.2-2.5, P = 0.006. Multivariate analysis indicated that the types of PCS [OS-ASD vs. No PCS: hazard ratio (HR) 2.57; 95% CI: 1.1-6.2, P = 0.03 and complex CHD vs. No PCS: HR 2.75; 95% CI: 1.41-5.48, P = 0.004], female gender (HR 1.55; 95% CI: 1.04-2.4, P = 0.048), and severe LV dysfunction (HR 1.36; 95% CI: 1.06-1.67, P = 0.04) were independent predictors of long-term recurrence. CONCLUSION: Radiofrequency catheter ablation of CTI-AFL after surgical correction of AHD and CHD is associated with high acute success rates. The severity of the structural alterations of the underlying heart disease and consequently the type of surgical correction correlates with higher risk for recurrence.
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Dallaglio et al. (2015) conducted a cohort in Cavotricuspid isthmus-dependent atrial flutter (CTI-AFL) (n=666). Previous cardiac surgery (PCS) vs. No previous cardiac surgery was evaluated on Long-term recurrence of atrial flutter (RR 1.71, 95% CI 1.2-2.5, p=0.006). Previous cardiac surgery in patients undergoing atrial flutter ablation increased the risk of long-term recurrence compared to no previous surgery (18% vs 10.5%; RR 1.71; 95% CI 1.2-2.5; P=0.006).
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