Key result
ICE-guided transpulmonary arterial ablation successfully terminates refractory epicardial focal atrial tachycardia.
Why the study?
Focal atrial tachycardia can originate from epicardial structures in a subset of cases, rendering conventional endocardial ablation ineffective.
Case Report (n=1)
No
A zero-fluoroscopy transpulmonary arterial approach guided by intracardiac echocardiography is a safe and effective alternative for ablating epicardial focal atrial tachycardia when conventional endocardial ablation fails.
May offer zero-fluoroscopy option for refractory epicardial focal AT; leaves open need for prospective validation before wider use.
BACKGROUND: Focal atrial tachycardia represents a common form of arrhythmia. In a subset of cases, the arrhythmogenic focus may originate from epicardial structures, which can render endocardial ablation ineffective. CASE SUMMARY: A 55-year-old man presented with progressive palpitations over several weeks. He had no significant prior cardiac history. During the ablation procedure, a focal atrial tachycardia refractory to conventional endocardial ablation was identified. The arrhythmia was successfully eliminated through adjunctive ablation performed within the right pulmonary artery. DISCUSSION: A zero fluoroscopy transpulmonary arterial approach is feasible for ablating an epicardial atrial tachycardia, highlighting it as a viable alternative when conventional endocardial ablation fails. TAKE-HOME MASSAGES: Indirect epicardial intervention targeting the left atrium via adjacent anatomical pathways has been demonstrated to be both safe and feasible in selected cases. The performance of ablation procedures necessitates advanced catheter manipulation and can be effectively guided and localized in real time using intracardiac echocardiography.
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Zhou et al. (2025) conducted a case report in Focal atrial tachycardia (n=1). Zero-fluoroscopy transpulmonary arterial ablation guided by intracardiac echocardiography was evaluated on Successful termination of tachycardia. Transpulmonary arterial ablation guided by intracardiac echocardiography successfully terminated an epicardial focal atrial tachycardia after conventional endocardial ablation failed.
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