Wendy S Tzou1, David S Frankel2, Timothy Hegeman2, Gregory E Supple2, Fermin C Garcia2, Pasquale Santangeli2, David F Katz2, William H Sauer2, Francis E Marchlinski2. 1. From the Division of Cardiology, Section of Electrophysiology, University of Colorado Health System and School of Medicine, Aurora (W.S.T., T.H., D.F.K., W.H.S.); and Division of Cardiology, Section of Electrophysiology, University of Pennsylvania Health System and School of Medicine, Philadelphia (D.S.F., G.E.S., F.C.G., P.S., F.E.M.). wendy.tzou@ucdenver.edu. 2. From the Division of Cardiology, Section of Electrophysiology, University of Colorado Health System and School of Medicine, Aurora (W.S.T., T.H., D.F.K., W.H.S.); and Division of Cardiology, Section of Electrophysiology, University of Pennsylvania Health System and School of Medicine, Philadelphia (D.S.F., G.E.S., F.C.G., P.S., F.E.M.).
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Radiofrequency ablation of multiple or unmappable ventricular tachycardias (VTs) remains a challenge with unclear end points. We present our experience with a new strategy isolating core elements of VT circuits. METHODS AND RESULTS: Patients with structural heart disease presenting for VT radiofrequency ablation at 2 centers were included. Strategy involved entrainment/activation mapping if VT was hemodynamically stable, and voltage mapping with electrogram analysis and pacemapping. Core isolation (CI) was performed incorporating putative isthmus and early exit site(s) based on standard criteria. If VT was noninducible, the dense scar (<0.5 mV) region was isolated. Successful CI was defined by exit block (20 mA at 2 ms) within the isolated region. VT inducibility was also assessed. Forty-four patients were included (mean age, 63; 95% male; 73% ischemic cardiomyopathy; mean left ventricular ejection fraction, 31%; 68% with multiple unstable VTs [mean, 3+2]). CI area was 11+12 versus 55+40 cm(2) total scar area. Additional substrate modification was performed in 27 (61%), and epicardial radiofrequency ablation was performed in 4 (9%) patients. CI was achieved in 37 (84%) and led to better VT-free survival (log rank P=0.013). CONCLUSIONS: CI is a novel strategy with a discrete and measurable end point beyond VT inducibility to treat patients with multiple or unmappable VTs. The CI region can be selected based on standard characterization of suspected VT isthmus surrogates thus limiting ablation target size. Exit block within the isolated area is achievable in most and may further improve long-term success.
BACKGROUND: Radiofrequency ablation of multiple or unmappable ventricular tachycardias (VTs) remains a challenge with unclear end points. We present our experience with a new strategy isolating core elements of VT circuits. METHODS AND RESULTS:Patients with structural heart disease presenting for VT radiofrequency ablation at 2 centers were included. Strategy involved entrainment/activation mapping if VT was hemodynamically stable, and voltage mapping with electrogram analysis and pacemapping. Core isolation (CI) was performed incorporating putative isthmus and early exit site(s) based on standard criteria. If VT was noninducible, the dense scar (<0.5 mV) region was isolated. Successful CI was defined by exit block (20 mA at 2 ms) within the isolated region. VT inducibility was also assessed. Forty-four patients were included (mean age, 63; 95% male; 73% ischemic cardiomyopathy; mean left ventricular ejection fraction, 31%; 68% with multiple unstable VTs [mean, 3+2]). CI area was 11+12 versus 55+40 cm(2) total scar area. Additional substrate modification was performed in 27 (61%), and epicardial radiofrequency ablation was performed in 4 (9%) patients. CI was achieved in 37 (84%) and led to better VT-free survival (log rank P=0.013). CONCLUSIONS: CI is a novel strategy with a discrete and measurable end point beyond VT inducibility to treat patients with multiple or unmappable VTs. The CI region can be selected based on standard characterization of suspected VT isthmus surrogates thus limiting ablation target size. Exit block within the isolated area is achievable in most and may further improve long-term success.
Authors: Edmond M Cronin; Frank M Bogun; Philippe Maury; Petr Peichl; Minglong Chen; Narayanan Namboodiri; Luis Aguinaga; Luiz Roberto Leite; Sana M Al-Khatib; Elad Anter; Antonio Berruezo; David J Callans; Mina K Chung; Phillip Cuculich; Andre d'Avila; Barbara J Deal; Paolo Della Bella; Thomas Deneke; Timm-Michael Dickfeld; Claudio Hadid; Haris M Haqqani; G Neal Kay; Rakesh Latchamsetty; Francis Marchlinski; John M Miller; Akihiko Nogami; Akash R Patel; Rajeev Kumar Pathak; Luis C Saenz Morales; Pasquale Santangeli; John L Sapp; Andrea Sarkozy; Kyoko Soejima; William G Stevenson; Usha B Tedrow; Wendy S Tzou; Niraj Varma; Katja Zeppenfeld Journal: J Interv Card Electrophysiol Date: 2020-10 Impact factor: 1.900
Authors: Pasquale Vergara; Wendy S Tzou; Roderick Tung; Chiara Brombin; Alessandro Nonis; Marmar Vaseghi; David S Frankel; Luigi Di Biase; Usha Tedrow; Nilesh Mathuria; Shiro Nakahara; Venkat Tholakanahalli; T Jared Bunch; J Peter Weiss; Timm Dickfeld; Dhanunjaya Lakireddy; J David Burkhardt; Pasquale Santangeli; David Callans; Andrea Natale; Francis Marchlinski; William G Stevenson; Kalyanam Shivkumar; William H Sauer; Paolo Della Bella Journal: Circ Arrhythm Electrophysiol Date: 2018-12
Authors: Phillip S Cuculich; Matthew R Schill; Rojano Kashani; Sasa Mutic; Adam Lang; Daniel Cooper; Mitchell Faddis; Marye Gleva; Amit Noheria; Timothy W Smith; Dennis Hallahan; Yoram Rudy; Clifford G Robinson Journal: N Engl J Med Date: 2017-12-14 Impact factor: 91.245
Authors: Edmond M Cronin; Frank M Bogun; Philippe Maury; Petr Peichl; Minglong Chen; Narayanan Namboodiri; Luis Aguinaga; Luiz Roberto Leite; Sana M Al-Khatib; Elad Anter; Antonio Berruezo; David J Callans; Mina K Chung; Phillip Cuculich; Andre d'Avila; Barbara J Deal; Paolo Della Bella; Thomas Deneke; Timm-Michael Dickfeld; Claudio Hadid; Haris M Haqqani; G Neal Kay; Rakesh Latchamsetty; Francis Marchlinski; John M Miller; Akihiko Nogami; Akash R Patel; Rajeev Kumar Pathak; Luis C Sáenz Morales; Pasquale Santangeli; John L Sapp; Andrea Sarkozy; Kyoko Soejima; William G Stevenson; Usha B Tedrow; Wendy S Tzou; Niraj Varma; Katja Zeppenfeld Journal: Europace Date: 2019-08-01 Impact factor: 5.214
Authors: Elad Anter; Petr Neuzil; Vivek Y Reddy; Jan Petru; Kyoung-Min Park; Jakub Sroubek; Eran Leshem; Peter J Zimetbaum; Alfred E Buxton; Andre G Kleber; Changyu Shen; Andrew L Wit Journal: Circ Arrhythm Electrophysiol Date: 2020-05-06