BACKGROUND Transthoracic epicardial catheter ablation is an emerging catheter ablation strategy being used clinically at increasing frequency. However, the efficacy of standard RF ablation on the epicardial surface of the heart is hindered by (1) the lack of convective cooling of the ablation electrode and (2) the varying presence of epicardial adipose tissue interposed between the ablation ele...

Catheter ablation is a well established and widely used therapy option of atrial fibrillation. The use of 3D mapping systems to aid the ablation process has become standard in most centers. Whether preprocedural imaging is an asset to catheter ablation procedures is of debate. Available methods and the existing evidence are outlined in this article.

Background—Transthoracic epicardial catheter ablation is an emerging catheter ablation strategy being used clinically at increasing frequency. However, the efficacy of standard RF ablation on the epicardial surface of the heart is hindered by (1) the lack of convective cooling of the ablation electrode and (2) the varying presence of epicardial adipose tissue interposed between the ablation ele...

Supraventricular arrhythmias are relatively common, often persistent, and rarely life-threatening cardiac rhythm disturbances that arise from the sinus node, atrial tissue, or junctional sites between the atria and ventricles. The term "supraventricular arrhythmia" most often is used to refer to supraventricular tachycardias and atrial flutter. The term "supraventricular tachycardia" commonly r...

Catheter ablation is an experimental procedure that may prove useful for patients with drug-refractory supraventricular tachycardia. Current techniques involve the use of high-energy direct-current shocks, delivered via electrode catheters. These techniques have been used most commonly for ablating the atrioventricular (AV) junction in patients with supraventricular tachycardia. Such ablation m...

Catheter ablation is performed in selected patients with a symptomatic premature ventricular complex (PVC) or PVC-induced cardiomyopathy. Ablation of PVC from the His region has a high risk of inducing a complete atrioventricular block. Here we report successful catheter ablation of a parahisian PVC in a 63-year-old man.

Atriofascicular pathways are a rare cause of antidromic atrioventricular reciprocating tachycardia. The IntellaTip MiFi ablation catheter (Boston Scientific, MA, USA) is a novel ablation catheter that allows enhanced signal clarity with highly localized electrograms. This is the first report of this catheter being successfully used to map and ablate the atriofascicular pathway potentials.

Paroxysmal atrial fibrillation can be eliminated with continuous circular linear lesions around the pulmonary veins using radiofrequency ablation. Due to the technical complexity of this procedure balloon-based devices have been developed to simplify pulmonary vein isolation. Cryoballoon ablation provides excellent safety and is technically less demanding when compared to radiofrequency cathete...

Radiofrequency ablation using a percutaneous catheter-based approach is widely used to treat supraventricular arrhythmias. Atrial fibrillation frequently arises from an abnormal focus at or near the junction of the pulmonary veins and the left atrium, thus leading to the feasibility of more focused ablation techniques directed at these structures. Catheter-based ablation, using both radiofreque...

Outflow tract tachycardias (OTT) originating from the right or left ventricular outflow tract are thought to be benign. However, symptoms can be disabling and deterioration of left ventricular function may occur with a high arrhythmia burden. Catheter ablation has a high acute success rate of up to 90 %, but recurrences are not uncommon [1, 2]. Novel catheter designs, and mapping and ablation t...