Low incidence of permanent complications during catheter ablation for atrial fibrillation using open-irrigated catheters: a multicentre registry.

Aims: Despite catheter ablation (CA) has become an accepted treatment option for symptomatic, drug-resistant atrial fibrillation (AF), the safety of this procedure continues to be cause for concern. The aim of the present study was to assess the incidence of complications with permanent sequelae of CA for AF using open-irrigated catheters in a contemporary, unselected population of consecutive patients.

Methods And Results: From 1 January 2011 to 31 December 2011, data from 2167 consecutive patients who underwent CA for AF using an open-irrigated catheter in 29 Italian centres were collected.

[Risk stratification in Brugada syndrome].

Individuals with type 1 Brugada ECG pattern may suffer from malignant ventricular arrhythmias (Brugada syndrome). Patients with Brugada syndrome and documented cardiac arrest should receive an implantable cardioverter-defibrillator. In the remaining subjects, the best management is controversial.

Risk stratification in individuals with the Brugada type 1 ECG pattern without previous cardiac arrest: usefulness of a combined clinical and electrophysiologic approach.

Aims: Risk stratification in individuals with type 1 Brugada electrocardiogram (ECG) pattern (type 1 ECG) for primary prevention of sudden death (SD).

Methods And Results: Three hundred and twenty patients (258 males, median age 43 years) with type 1 ECG were enrolled. No patient had previous cardiac arrest.

How many atrial fibrillation ablation candidates have an underlying supraventricular tachycardia previously unknown? Efficacy of isolated triggering arrhythmia ablation.

Aims: Supraventricular tachycardia may trigger atrial fibrillation (AF). The aim of the study was to evaluate the prevalence of supraventricular tachycardia (SVT) inducibility in patients referred for AF ablation and to evaluate the effects of SVT ablation on AF recurrences.

Methods And Results: Two hundred and fifty-seven patients (185 males; mean age: 53.

Image integration increases efficacy of paroxysmal atrial fibrillation catheter ablation: results from the CartoMerge Italian Registry.

Aims: The aim of this study was to investigate whether circumferential pulmonary vein (PV) isolation guided by image integration improves the procedural and clinical outcomes of atrial fibrillation (AF) ablation in comparison with segmental PV isolation and circumferential PV isolation guided by three-dimensional (3D) electroanatomical mapping alone.

Methods And Results: Procedural and clinical outcomes of 573 patients who underwent their first catheter ablation for paroxysmal AF between January 2005 and April 2007 were collected from 12 centres. We evaluated three techniques: segmental ostial PV isolation (SOCA group, 240 patients), circumferential PV isolation guided by electroanatomical mapping (CARTO group, 107 patients), and circumferential PV isolation guided by electroanatomical mapping integrated with magnetic resonance/computed tomographic images of the left atrium (MERGE group, 226 patients).

High prevalence of cooled tip use as compared with 8-mm tip in a multicenter Italian registry on atrial fibrillation ablation: focus on procedural safety.

Background: Whether cooling catheters should be preferred for atrial fibrillation (AF) ablation is not yet clear.

Methods: From April 2005 to October 2006, 991 (74% men) consecutive patients who underwent AF ablation were prospectively enrolled in 10 Italian centers. For the present subanalysis, patients were ranked in the two study groups on the basis of the catheter system chosen: 8-mm tip was used in 86 patients (9% conventional group) and open-irrigated tip in 905 patients (91% cooled group).

Early complications of pulmonary vein catheter ablation for atrial fibrillation: a multicenter prospective registry on procedural safety.

Background: Data on the procedural safety of pulmonary vein radiofrequency catheter ablation for atrial fibrillation (AF) are as yet scant.

Objective: The aims of the present study were to prospectively evaluate the incidence of early complications of pulmonary vein ablation for AF in an unselected population of consecutive patients, and to identify possible predictors.

Methods: From April 2005 to October 2006, data from 1,011 consecutive patients who were undergoing radiofrequency catheter ablation for every type of AF in 10 Italian centers were collected.

Common atrial flutter and atrial fibrillation are not always two stages of the same disease. A long-term follow-up study in patients with atrial flutter treated with cavo-tricuspid isthmus ablation.

Objective: Both atrial flutter and atrial fibrillation (AF) frequently develop in the same patient. There is therefore reasonable doubt that flutter ablation may not solve the clinical problem, owing to the occurrence/recurrence of AF. The aim of this study was to establish whether cavo-tricuspid isthmus ablation is curative in patients with common atrial flutter alone or combined with AF.

Ablation of a single pulmonary vein arrhythmic focus triggering several supraventricular arrhythmias.

Pulmonary veins are a well-recognized source of focal ectopies that may trigger atrial fibrillation. Many ablative strategies, in particular ablation of the four pulmonary vein ostia, have been developed in order to cure atrial fibrillation. In some patients, the predominant arrhythmia may be an ectopic atrial tachycardia arising from a pulmonary vein and atrial fibrillation may be only a consequence of rapid atrial activation.

Different clinical courses and predictors of atrial fibrillation occurrence after transisthmic ablation in patients with preablation lone atrial flutter, coexistent atrial fibrillation, and drug induced atrial flutter.

The aim of this prospective study was to compare the long-term follow-up after transisthmic ablation of patients with preablation lone atrial flutter, coexistent AF, and drug induced atrial flutter to determine if postablation AF followed a different clinical course and displayed different predictors in these groups. The study evaluated 357 patients who underwent transisthmic ablation for typical atrial flutter. These were divided into four groups according to their preablation history.

Radiofrequency ablation of atrioventricular nodal reentrant tachycardia: the risk of intraprocedural, late and long-term atrioventricular block. The Veneto Region multicenter experience.

Background: Radiofrequency ablation of either the fast or the slow pathway in atrioventricular nodal reentrant tachycardia (AVNRT) can be complicated by transient or permanent atrioventricular (AV) block. Little is known about the possibility of AV block occurring during the first weeks after the procedure and nothing about the risk of AV block during the long-term follow-up.

Methods: To clarify these latter points, from February 1990 to December 2000 we enrolled 510 consecutive patients (56 males, 454 females, mean age 55 +/- 16 years) with AVNRT.