Catheter ablation is widely accepted as the best remaining option for the treatment of atrial fibrillation if drug therapy fails. Ablation procedures can be guided by 3-D overlay images projected onto live fluoroscopic X-ray images. These overlay images are generated from either MR, CT or C-Arm CT volumes. As the alignment of the overlay is often compromised by cardiac and respiratory motion, m...

The catheter maze procedure for the treatment of chronic atrial fibrillation requires the creation of transmural, continuous linear atrial lesions. Attempts to drag a conventional radiofrequency ablation catheter across the atria in clinical as well as experimental studies have resulted in discontinuous lesions. Continuous linear lesions have been most difficult to create in trabeculated atrial...

AIMS Studies have shown that remote magnetic navigation is safe and effective for ablation of atrial arrhythmias, although optimal outcomes often require frequent manual manipulation of a circular mapping catheter. The Vdrive robotic system ('Vdrive') was designed for remote navigation of circular mapping catheters to enable a fully remote procedure. This study details the first human clinical ...

BACKGROUND Atrial fibrillation is common among older persons. Catheter ablation is increasingly used in patients for whom medical therapy has failed. METHODS AND RESULTS We conducted a retrospective cohort study of all fee-for-service Medicare beneficiaries ≥65 years of age who underwent catheter ablation for atrial fibrillation between July 1, 2007, and December 31, 2009. The main outcome me...

AIMS This study evaluates feasibility, safety, and efficacy of magnetic remote-controlled accessory pathway (AP) ablation. METHODS AND RESULTS The novel magnetic navigation system (MNS) (Niobe, Stereotaxis) creates a steerable magnetic field (0.08 T) controlling the distal magnetic tip of an ablation catheter. In conjunction with a catheter advancer system (Cardiodrive, Stereotaxis) remote ca...

OBJECTIVES The primary objective was to test in vivo for the first time the general operation of a new multifunctional intracardiac echocardiography (ICE) catheter constructed with a microlinear capacitive micromachined ultrasound transducer (ML-CMUT) imaging array. Secondarily, we examined the compatibility of this catheter with electroanatomic mapping (EAM) guidance and also as a radiofrequen...

or paroxysmal supraventricular tachycardia involving a concealed accessory AV connection underwent catheter ablation with the use of radiofrequency current. In 179 of the 250 patients, catheter ablation was performed at the time of an initial electrophysiology test. Two hundred thirty-five patients had one accessory AV connection and 15 patients had two or more. One hundred eighty-three accesso...

Severe disorders of the heart rhythm that can lead to sudden cardiac death (SCD) are often treated by radio-frequency (RF) catheter ablation. Using fluoroscopy as an imaging guide, the procedure consists of inserting a catheter inside the heart, near the area from which originates the abnormal cardiac electrical activity, then delivering RF currents through the catheter tip to ablate the arrhyt...

Introduction Purkinje fibers serve as triggers and perpetuators of ventricular fibrillation (VF). Although catheter ablation can be an effective therapy for Purkinje-related premature ventricular contractions (PVCs) and triggered VF, it is essential to detect the exact site of the origin of the PVCs by mapping Purkinje potentials (PPs) precisely. Here, we report a case of Purkinje-related PVCs/...

Case report A 53-year-old man underwent an ablation procedure for atrial fibrillation; however, the tip of the Lasso catheter (Biosense Webster, Inc, Diamond Bar, California) used for the ablation was entrapped in the mitral subvalvular apparatus (Figure 1A & B). Despite extensive efforts, the tip of the catheter broke and attempts at extraction were unsuccessful. The catheter tip was entrapped...