Complications and Anticoagulation Strategies for Percutaneous Epicardial Ablation Procedures.

Background: Percutaneous pericardial access for catheter ablation is associated with a bleeding risk. We sought to elucidate the relation of hemorrhagic and thromboembolic events associated with epicardial procedures to anticoagulation strategy.

Methods: Anticoagulation strategy before and during pericardial access for 355 patients (57±14 years old) who had ventricular arrhythmia mapping and ablation were reviewed. Oral anticoagulants were stopped perioperatively and heparin administered before the procedure. Pericardial bleeding >80 mL was considered significant. The patients were divided into 3 groups per the anticoagulation strategy. Group 1: no heparin was administered before pericardial access, group 2: heparin was administered and reversed before pericardial access, and group 3: heparin was administered and not reversed.

Results: Significant pericardial bleeding occurred in 46 cases (13%) and did not differ among the groups ( P=0.720). Unintentional cardiac puncture and left ventricular ejection fraction ≤35% were independently associated with pericardial bleeding (odds ratio, 16.4; 95% CI, 7.35-36.40; P<0.001 and odds ratio, 2.28; 95% CI, 1.02-5.10; P=0.044). Of 38 procedures with unintentional cardiac puncture, there was no difference in pericardial bleeding for different anticoagulation strategies. Thromboembolic events occurred in 5 patients; 1 coronary embolism, 1 stroke, 2 deep vein thrombosis with 1 fatal pulmonary embolism, and 1 thrombus on a temporary ventricular assist device.

Conclusions: Bleeding is the major risk related to pericardial access and seems to be more related to unintentional cardiac puncture than to the anticoagulation strategy. Thrombotic complications are infrequent but potentially severe. The major focus for improving safety should be on the prevention of unintentional cardiac puncture.