Deep sedation in patients undergoing atrioventricular nodal reentry tachycardia ablation

BACKGROUND: General anesthesia and deep sedation can be used during cardiac EPS to relief pain and provide comfort and immobility, but many electrophysiologists avoid sedation for better arrhythmia induction. OBJECTIVE: To determine anesthesia effects in ablation procedures in adults, we used intravenous anesthetic agents in patients who underwent slow pathway ablation. PATIENTS AND METHODS: One hundred patients who were to undergo radiofrequency catheter ablation were randomly assigned to with and without intravenous anesthesia groups. All patients had palpitation with a documented electrocardiography (ECG) compatible with atrio-ventricular nodal reentrant tachycardia (AVNRT). We used propofol, fentanyl and midazolam for intravenous sedation. Electrophysiological parameters were checked for the two groups and compared before and after the ablation. RESULTS: Electrophysiological parameters were not significantly different in the two groups. In the anesthetic group, patients were more satisfied with the procedure (P value < 0. 001). CONCLUSIONS: Intravenous anesthesia could be done safely in patients who underwent electrophysiological procedures. It had no effect on arrhythmia induction or slow pathway ablation in patients with documented AVNRT.