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Objectives: This study evaluated accessory pathway location, its relation to retrograde P wave polarity on the surface electrocardiogram and radiofrequency ablation efficacy and safety in a large group of patients with permanent junctional reciprocating tachycardia., Background: Permanent junctional reciprocating tachycardia is an uncommon form of reciprocating tachycardia, almost incessant from infancy and usually refractory to drug therapy. It is characterized by RP > PR interval and usually by negative P waves in leads II, III, aVF and V4 to V6. Retrograde conduction occurs through an accessory pathway with slow and decremental properties. Although this accessory pathway has been classically located in the posteroseptal zone, other locations have been recently reported., Methods: The study included 32 patients (20 men, 12 women, mean [+/- SD] age 29 +/- 15 years) with a diagnosis of permanent junctional reciprocating tachycardia confirmed at electrophysiologic study. Seven patients had depressed left ventricular function. Radiofrequency energy was applied at the site of the earliest retrograde atrial activation during tachycardia., Results: There were 33 accessory pathways. The site of the earliest retrograde atrial activation was posteroseptal in 25 patients (76%), midseptal in 4 (12%), right posterior in 1 (3%), right lateral in 1 (3%), left posterior in 1 (3%) and left lateral in 1 (3%). Thirty pathways were ablated with a right approach; in 11 patients with posteroseptal pathway the ablation was performed through the coronary sinus. Three pathways were ablated with a left approach. Positive retrograde P wave in lead I suggested that ablation could be performed from the right side; if negative, it did not exclude ablation from this approach. All the accessory pathways were successfully ablated, with a median of 3 and a mean of 5.6 +/- 5 radiofrequency applications of 70 +/- 26 s in duration. In two patients with the accessory pathway in the midseptal zone, a transient second- and third-degree atrioventricular block, respectively, was observed after ablation. At a mean follow-up of 18 +/- 12 months, 31 patients (97%) are asymptomatic without antiarrhythmic therapy (95% confidence interval [CI] 84% to 99%). Recurrences were observed in four patients (13%) (95% CI 4% to 29%), three of whom had the accessory pathway ablated successfully at a second session. All patients with depressed left ventricular function showed a marked improvement after successful ablation., Conclusions: In our experience, most of the patients with permanent junctional reciprocating tachycardia had posteroseptal pathways; all these pathways were ablated from the right side. P wave configuration may be helpful in suggesting the approach to the site of ablation. Catheter ablation using radiofrequency energy is an effective therapy for permanent junctional reciprocating tachycardia.

Background: The purpose of this study was to describe a new technique for catheter ablation of left lateral accessory pathways (APs) by radiofrequency energy applied at the epicardium through the coronary sinus wall using a unipolar configuration., Methods and Results: In an overall group of 212 patients with left lateral APs, multiple endocardial ablation attempts of the AP were unsuccessful in eight patients. The mean +/- SD cumulative duration of previous attempts was 12 +/- 9 hours, using DC shocks and/or radiofrequency energy applied both at the atrial and/or ventricular AP insertions. Epicardial AP insertion was determined by bipolar and unipolar unfiltered distal electrograms by scanning the coronary sinus with a steerable 6F or 7F catheter with a 4-mm distal electrode. The local atrial to ventricular electrogram amplitude ratio was 0.3-1.6. At the ablation site, the catheter tip was slightly deflected toward the annulus to increase both the ventricular component of electrograms and contact with the epicardium. In four patients, epicardial electrogram timings were earlier than endocardial ones. The AP was ablated in seven of the eight patients with 20-30 W applied for 10-60 seconds. No complications occurred except a marked nonspecific pain during radiofrequency energy application; however, the catheter remained adherent to the coronary sinus wall, and its withdrawal was performed during a new radiofrequency application to decrease the risk of coronary sinus rupture. After ablation, echocardiograms, coronary artery angiograms, and levophase coronary sinus angiograms showed no abnormality in all patients except two who had a probable mural thrombus in the coronary sinus. AP conduction remained abolished for 1-10 months of follow-up in seven patients., Conclusions: Radiofrequency catheter ablation of left lateral APs can be achieved effectively and relatively safely via the mid or distal coronary sinus when endocardial approaches are unsuccessful.

Unlabelled: We assessed anterograde conduction electrogram parameters at successful ablation sites according to accessory pathway (AP) location and compared them to the most favorable electrograms at unsuccessful sites. A median of three radiofrequency energy impulses was applied to ablate 97% of 136 APs versus four impulses to ablate 90% of 65 concealed APs. Electrograms at successful sites showed variable A/V ratio (0.04-7), and a QS pattern of unipolar ventricular wave in 90%. Electrograms were different in right versus left AP: AV time 29 +/- 7 versus 38 +/- 10; and timing of ventricular deflection: 17 +/- 9 versus 2 +/- 9 msec, respectively. Analysis in each patient of the mapping parameters at successful versus "most favorable" unsuccessful sites showed an improvement in at least one parameter in 55%, no apparent change in all parameter values in 30%, and even less favorable parameters in 15% of patients. In patients with manifest AP, overall comparison of electrograms at successful versus unsuccessful sites showed no difference in A/V ratio (1.3 +/- 1.5 vs 1.2 +/- 1.6), unipolar pattern distribution, and AV time (34 +/- 10 vs 35 +/- 9), but earlier bipolar main ventricular potential (-4 +/- 12 vs -1.5 +/- 10 msec) and unipolar intrinsic deflection timings (-5.2 +/- 11 vs -1.8 +/- 10 msec). In patients with concealed AP, a retrograde continuous electrical activity was recorded in 72% of successful versus 38% of unsuccessful sites (P = 0.03)., Conclusions: Electrogram characteristics at successful radiofrequency ablation are different in right and left manifest AP.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Background: Ablation of the slow pathway has been performed to eliminate atrioventricular (AV) nodal reentrant tachycardia (AVNRT) either by a surgical approach or by using radiofrequency catheter technique guided by retrograde slow pathway activation mapping. From previous experience of midseptal and posteroseptal mapping, we were aware of the existence of peculiar slow potentials in most humans. Postulating their role in AVNRT, we studied these potentials and the effects of radiofrequency energy., Methods and Results: Sixty-four patients (mean age, 48 +/- 19 years) with the usual form of AVNRT were studied. Slow, low-amplitude potentials were recorded when using the anterograde AV conducting system. Slow potentials occupied all (giving a continuum of electrograms) or some of the time between the atrial and ventricular electrograms. Their most specific patterns were their progressive response to increasing atrial rates, which resulted in a dramatic decline in amplitude and slope, a corresponding increase in duration, and a separation from preceding atrial potentials until the disappearance of any consistent activity. Slow potentials were recorded along a vertical band at the mid or posterior part of the septum near the tricuspid annulus. Radiofrequency energy applied at the slow potential site resulted in interruption of induced tachycardia within a few seconds and rendered tachycardia noninducible in all patients. A median of two impulses was delivered to each patient. In 69% of patients, postablation atrial stimulation cannot achieve a long atrial-His interval, which previously was critical for tachycardia induction or maintenance. No patient had AVNRT over a follow-up period of 1-16 months, and all had preserved AV conduction. In all except two patients, the PR interval was unchanged. In 47 patients, long-term electrophysiological studies confirmed the efficacy of ablation and the nonreversibility of results by isoproterenol; however, echo beats remained inducible in 40% of patients., Conclusions: An area showing slow potentials is present at the perinodal region in humans. In patients with AVNRT, application of radiofrequency energy renders tachycardia noninducible through the preferential modification of the anterograde slow pathway. With present clinical methods, the exact origin and significance of these physiological potentials cannot be specified.

The effect of successful catheter ablation of overt accessory pathways on the incidence of atrial fibrillation (AF) was studied in 129 symptomatic patients with (n = 75) or without (n = 54) previous documented AF. Fourteen had had ventricular fibrillation. Factors predictive of recurrence were examined, including electrophysiologic parameters. Atrial vulnerability was defined as induction of sustained AF (greater than 1 minute) using single, then double, atrial extrastimuli at 2 basic pacing cycle lengths. When compared to patients with only reciprocating tachycardia, patients with clinical AF included more men (77 vs 54%, p = 0.008) and were older (35 +/- 12 vs 29 +/- 12 years, p = 0.01). They had a significantly shorter cycle length leading to anterograde accessory pathway block (252 +/- 42 vs 298 +/- 83 ms, p less than 0.001), greater incidences of atrial vulnerability (89 vs 24%, p less than 0.001) and subsequent need for cardioversion (51 vs 15%, p less than 0.001). After discharge, the follow-up period was 35 +/- 12 months (range 18 to 76); 7 patients with previous spontaneous AF (9%) had recurrence at a mean of 10 months after ablation. Age, presence of structural heart disease accessory pathway location, atrial refractory periods and accessory pathway anterograde conduction parameters were not predictive of AF recurrence. Persistence of atrial vulnerability after ablation was the only factor associated with further recurrence of AF. Atrial vulnerability was observed after ablation in only 56% of patients with previous AF versus 89% before ablation. It is concluded that successful catheter ablation of accessory pathways prevents further recurrence of AF in 91% of patients.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Fifty-four patients with a posteroseptal accessory connection and symptomatic tachycardias underwent catheter ablation of the anomalous pathway. Eight had the permanent form of reciprocating tachycardias (long RP' tachycardia) and 46 had a left posteroseptal preexcitation marked by a prominent R wave in lead VI. In 14 of 19 patients, ventriculoatrial conduction time during tachycardia lengthened in conjunction with functional left bundle branch block; this behaviour was significantly different from a series of patients with right posteroseptal preexcitation in which functional left bundle branch block lengthened the ventriculoatrial time in only one of 12 patients. A quadripolar electrode catheter was left within the proximal coronary sinus in order to locate the earliest atrial or ventricular activation site. The appropriate bipole was used as the radiographic and electrophysiological reference of the insertion of the accessory pathway. A catheter was then positioned on the septal side of the right atrium, outside the coronary sinus, so that atrial activity during reciprocating tachycardia and ventricular activity during preexcitation were synchronous with or earlier than that recorded within the proximal coronary sinus. Accessory pathway potential was not recorded in any patient. Early ventricular potential occurring --1.5 +/- 8 ms relative to delta wave onset was present at that site. In 38 patients, including 5 with permanent junctional tachycardia, high current (14 mA) pacing yielded direct ventricular paced QRS complexes (no delay spike-QRS) with a morphology similar to left posteroseptal maximal preexcitation. Slight movements of catheter position yielded significantly different pace-maps. One to eight 160 J cathodal shocks (510 +/- 213 J cumulative per patient) were delivered at this site in 61 sessions. Following fulguration, tachycardia recurred without drugs in only one patient over a follow-up period of 20 +/- 13 months. Asymptomatic intermittent preexcitation recurred in two patients. In all patients with long RP' tachycardia, the ablation procedure was successful without the need for drugs or permanent cardiac pacing. A long-term follow-up electrophysiological study in 18 patients demonstrated that conduction through the anomalous pathway was absent in 16 and deeply altered in the two patients with intermittent preexcitation; no tachycardia was inducible in any patient. In conclusion, catheter ablation of left posteroseptal accessory pathways is a feasible procedure using a right atrial approach outside the coronary sinus. This technique is also effective for the treatment of the permanent form of reciprocating tachycardia.

Two hundred and forty-eight patients with refractory arrhythmias related to an accessory pathway underwent catheter ablation. Cathodal shocks (160 to 240 joules) were delivered through the distal electrode of a standard catheter (usually a quadripolar electrode catheter with 5-mm interelectrode distances). A paddle electrode positioned opposite to the catheter served as the anode. Ablation of 24 right anteroseptal, 16 right parietal, 86 posteroseptal, 120 left parietal and four Mahaim pathways was clinically successful in eliminating symptomatic tachycardia in 236 patients (greater than 96%) over a follow-up of 3 to 64 months. There was no procedure-related death but two patients developed a ventricular fibrillation at the fifth and seventh day, respectively. The latter led to a sudden death since this side effect occurred after discharge. There were no instances of systemic embolus but one pericardial effusion required subxiphoid needle drainage 6 weeks after the procedure. Other complications included: AV block in four patients with posteroseptal and in one with a right anterior septal pathway. In conclusion, a successful clinical outcome may be achieved in most patients. Catheter ablation is an important alternative to cardiac surgery and in our opinion represents first-line treatment when therapy is required.

Three patients with refractory preexcited tachycardia implicating Mahaim fibers underwent attempted catheter ablation of the accessory pathway. In the absence of demonstrable retrograde conduction in Mahaim fibers, we located the accessory pathway ventricular insertion site using the criteria of concordance between paced and spontaneous QRS morphologies during pace-mapping and earliest onset of local electrogram relative to surface preexcited QRS. At this site, a QS-like pattern of unfiltered unipolar electrograms with steep downstroke was recorded. The optimal site appeared radiologically at the right ventricular anterior wall or the adjacent septum, 2-4 cm from the tricuspid anulus. Three to six 160-J shocks were delivered at this site using an anterior chest wall plate as anode. After fulguration, conduction through the Mahaim tract was absent. A right bundle branch block persisted in two patients. All patients remained free of preexcited tachycardia during 12-16 months of follow-up. Postablation electrophysiological assessment showed no preexcitation in any patient. No reciprocating tachycardia was inducible, even during isoproterenol infusion. Atrioventricular nodal conduction parameters were unchanged from baseline study. Catheter ablation of Mahaim fibers is an effective alternative method for the treatment of tachycardias that include the accessory pathway in the circuit.

Thirty-five consecutive patients with an overt accessory pathway, all but two suffering from arrhythmia (atrial fibrillation, reciprocating tachycardia, or both), underwent attempted transcatheter ablation (fulguration) of their accessory pathway. Thirty-three patients had been treated with a mean of 2.3 +/- 1.4 antiarrhythmic drugs. A standard bipolar catheter was positioned on the internal surface of the right or left atrioventricular anulus with 1) a subclavian approach of the right cardiac cavities in 29 patients with right-sided accessory pathway (n = 27) or left posteroseptal accessory pathway (n = 2), 2) a patent foramen ovale in five patients (two with a left posterolateral accessory pathway and three with a left parietal accessory pathway), and a transseptal catheterism (one patient with a left parietal accessory pathway). Cathodic shocks (mean, 4.3 shocks/patient) with a mean cumulative energy of 690 J enabled the ablation (disappearance of both anterograde and retrograde conduction) of the accessory pathway in 32 patients with a follow-up ranging from 1 to 32 months (mean, 10 +/- 8 months). Two of the remaining three accessory pathways were impaired: one pathway became intermittent, the anterograde effective refractory period of the second pathway increased from 260 to 410 msec, and the third pathway was slightly impaired. This latter patient is the only one who still requires therapy, with a single antiarrhythmic drug. All others are free of arrhythmias and require no therapy. Not using coronary sinus catheterism inclusive of its os has led to only a few, benign side effects. Only one third-degree atrioventricular block occurred in a posteroseptal accessory pathway ablation. Three cases of patients with incessant reciprocating tachycardia involving a further successful ablation occurred at the beginning of our experience. The best area for ablation is, in our opinion, the recording site for the Kent-bundle activity (18 of 35 patients), but a meticulous mapping of the atrioventricular anulus during orthodromic reciprocating tachycardia makes ablation possible when the shortest ventriculoatrial time (V-A') can be recorded with reliability (mean, 85 +/- 18 msec). Such a procedure is an alternative to surgical ablation regardless of the location of the accessory pathway--not only posteroseptally.

Thirty patients with a left lateral accessory pathway and drug refractory tachycardia underwent attempted transcatheter ablation of the accessory pathway. Three had a concealed accessory pathway and 27 had the Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome. A quadripolar electrode catheter was positioned within the coronary sinus in order to locate the earliest retrograde atrial activation during orthodromic reciprocating tachycardia. The appropriate bipole was used as the radiographic and electrophysiologic reference of the insertion of the accessory pathway. A catheter was then introduced into the left atrium, through a patent foramen ovale (six patients) or after transseptal catheterization (14 patients) according to Croft's technique, or using a retrograde transaortic approach (10 patients). The mitral annulus was mapped with the left atrial catheter in order to record a synchronous or earlier atrial deflection than reference during reciprocating tachycardia. VA' time at the preablation site was 82 +/- 12 ms. Two to seven 160 J cathodal shocks (650 +/- 205 J cumulative per patient) were delivered at this site in 38 sessions. No significant side-effects occurred except for one case of right coronary artery spasm leading to inferior wall infarction. Following fulguration, accessory pathway conduction was abolished in all patients but one with a second accessory pathway. During follow-up of 1-34 months, all patients but one were free of tachycardia: reciprocating tachycardia recurred in one patient, who had a concealed accessory pathway, on the third day. Accessory pathway conduction, assessed in 10 other patients 3-26 months after the procedure, was absent. Coronary arteriography performed in seven patients was normal.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

The electrocardiographic expression of preexcitation results from the electrophysiological behaviour of the 2 conduction pathways: the normal pathway and the accessory pathway (AP). Its interpretation can only be deductive since the electrical activities of these 2 pathways are not recorded simultaneously. The validation of a K potential likely to represent Kent's bundle activation is based on criteria of exclusion of other origins (atrium, His bundle, ventricle). The K potential could be obtained in 16 of 32 consecutive studies. In 2 cases the unusual behaviour of the AP could be reliably studied owing to recording of the K potential. In case n. 1 a 35 ms increment in conduction was reproducibly observed by atrial extrastimulation at the atrium-Kent's bundle interface. In case n. 2 preexcitation was expressed on ECG only when the atrial rate was 70 to 100/mn. With lower atrial rates conduction in the AP was impaired by a 1st degree block with an atrium-Kent's bundle delay of 100 ms. Atrial acceleration reduced this delay to 40 ms, showing that this improvement in conduction reflected an initial block on the AP in phase IV. With higher atrial rates a block was observed on the AP in phase III either as an abrupt rupture of the atrium-Kent's bundle conduction, or as a block following progressive increment of the Luciani-Wenckebach type. Injection of ATP 20 mg produced and anterograde block on the AP at the atrium-Kent's bundle interface. Retrograde conduction seemed to be lacking in the AP since atrial activity was completely dissociated from induced ventriculograms.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

This study provides detailed information on the echocardiographic data obtained before and during an intravenous infusion of isoprenaline in a group of 16 patients under 50 years of age presenting with early repolarization syndrome and in a control group of 16 patients of the same age-group. The stereotyped echocardiographic features of early repolarization syndrome are described. They include: in the basal state, ventricular hyperkinesia, anterior motion of the mitral valve and reduction of the left ventricular outflow tract; these data were significant when compared with the control group; under isoprenaline, dynamic obstruction of the left ventricle. The authors discuss the electrical significance of the early repolarization syndrome, the relationship between that syndrome and the borderline forms of obstructive hypertrophic cardiomyopathy and the role of catecholamines in the pathogenesis of obstructive hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.

We applied a new technique of catheter ablation to treat atrioventricular nodal reentrant tachycardia and preserve anterograde conduction, performing this procedure in 21 patients with repetitive episodes of tachycardia refractory to antiarrhythmic drugs. Using atrial activation in the His-bundle lead as a reference, we selected the optimal site of ablation by positioning an electrode catheter so that atrial activation occurred simultaneously with or earlier than the reference activation during tachycardia. At this site, the His-bundle deflection was completely absent or was present only at a low amplitude (less than 0.1 mV). In the majority of patients, these criteria could be met by withdrawing the catheter 5 to 10 mm from the site of the His-bundle recording (adjacent to the reference catheter). Shocks of 160 or 240 J were delivered at this site (cumulative energy [mean +/- SD], 689 +/- 442 J). Treatment resulted in preferential abolition or impairment of retrograde nodal conduction. Anterograde conduction, although modified, was preserved in 19 patients; complete heart block persisted in 2 patients. Sixteen patients remained free of arrhythmia, without medication or implantation of a pacemaker, for a mean follow-up period of 14 +/- 8 months (range, 7 to 42). Tachycardia was not inducible in 14 patients in a follow-up electrophysiologic study performed 3.6 +/- 6 months after the procedure. We conclude that catheter ablation is an effective alternative for the treatment of atrioventricular nodal tachycardia in patients with drug-resistant tachycardia.

The success rate of catheter ablation, the latest therapeutic method in the treatment of cardiac arrhythmias, varies according to the precise indication. The best and most logical guarantee of its efficacy is the application of the electrical energy at an anatomical site essential to the arrhythmia. In preexcitation syndromes this site is without doubt the accessory pathway itself rather than its insertions, but this implies the recording of its activation. We recorded the electrical activation of a right sided Kent bundle in three consecutive cases to guide the therapeutic procedure (comparable to the recording of the H potential for his bundle ablation). All patients had paroxysmal atrial fibrillation (minimal RR interval: 175, 150 and 200 ms) and orthodromic reciprocating tachycardia. Two patients had had attacks of ventricular fibrillation. The sites of the Kent bundles were posteroseptal in 2 cases and anterolateral in 1 case. The recording of the electrical activation of the Kent bundle was validated by: the passage (induced or spontaneous) of a preexcited to a normal QRS coincident with the disappearance of the K potential; the exclusion of an atrial or ventricular origin of the electrical activation supposed to be the activation of the Kent bundle; electrical stimulation at the site of the recording of the K potential leading to prolongation of the stimulus-delta wave interval from 10 to 35 ms, with QRS morphology identical to the spontaneous complexes. All 3 patients were clinically cured by catheter ablation at the site of recording of the Kent bundle activation with follow-up periods ranging from 10 to 16 months.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Ablation of accessory pathways (AP) in any location was performed in 70 consecutive patients using either a right or a left approach. Left free wall pathways were approached via a patent foramen ovale (eight patients) or by transseptal catheter (eight patients). The best ablation site was localized by recording a potential most likely due to Kent bundle activation (33/70 patients), the earliest site of retrograde atrial activation during orthodromic reciprocating tachycardia, earliest ventricular potentials recorded before or synchronous with the delta wave in standard ECG leads, disappearance of preexcitation due to pressure of the catheter on the AP (eight patients), good degree of pacemap concordance with ventricular preexcitation. Two 160 joules cathodal shocks in close succession were delivered and the sequence repeated depending on the results. Preexcitation disappeared in 63 patients and there was no recurrence of arrhythmia in 68 patients without any antiarrhythmic therapy over a follow-up ranging from 1 to 42 months. No serious side effects were observed except for two patients who developed permanent complete AV block. However, one of them occurred after an unsuccessful surgical attempt which had damaged the AV junction. Fulguration is effective for APs in diverse locations. These results indicate that appropriate treatment of patient with the Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome should be reassessed. At present, the therapy of arrhythmias related to the Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome is no longer a question of either antiarrhythmic drugs or surgery. Fulguration, in our experience, is effective for abolishing accessory pathways in any location.