The role of catheter ablation in atrial tachycardia, flutter, and fibrillation.

The first experiences of nonpharmacological treatment of ectopic atrial tachycardia (EAT), common atrial flutter (AFl), and atrial fibrillation (AF) were performed by surgical techniques. Many studies reported a very high success rate on the use of catheter ablation with radiofrequency current for the treatment of supraventricular arrhythmias; and recently, various preliminary reports are dedicated to the treatment of EAT, AFl, and AF with that source of energy. To our knowledge 108 cases of EAT treated by catheter ablation of the ectopic focus are reported in the literature with a success rate superior to 90%.

[New perspectives in the ablation of ectopic atrial tachycardia and atrial flutter].

The first experiences on non-pharmacological treatment of ectopic atrial tachycardia (EAT) and common atrial flutter (AFl) were performed by surgical techniques. The surgical abolition of EAT comprised the isolation, the excision or the cryoablation of the ectopic atrial foci using electromapping guide. The AFl was treated by extensive cryoablation of the slow conduction area responsible for the macroreentrant process located in the infero-posterior part of the right atrium (RA).

[Indications and results of transcatheter ablation and surgery in paroxysmal reentry nodal tachycardia].

In patients with nodal tachycardia refractory to medical therapy, transcatheter or surgical ablation is necessary. From January 1989 to December 1990, in 26/42 patients with nodal tachycardia, referred to our institution for electrophysiologic evaluation, transcatheter ablation by radiofrequency (20 patients) or surgical ablation by perinodal cryo (6 patients) was performed. In all these cases, a total refractoriness to several antiarrhythmic drugs alone or in association had been observed.

[Coronary angiographic findings in the myocardial infarction involving the dorsal wall of the heart (author's transl)].

The Authors report the results of a coronary angiographic study in 12 patients with acute myocardial infarction in which the necrosis was extended to the dorsal wall of the heart. The electrocardiographic and vectorcardiographic criteria applied in order to assess the involvement of the dorsal wall have been those suggested by Perloff and by Hoffman and coll. and Massie and Walsh, respectively.