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Amit M Vora

Publications and source records attributed to Amit M Vora.

3 recordsLinked to original sources

Atriofascicular pathways: Where to ablate?

BACKGROUND: Atriofascicular accessory pathway (AP), often referred to as Mahaim pathway, is an uncommon form of preexcitation. The usual target for ablation is at the site of a high-frequency potential along the tricuspid annulus (TA). We present our observations in mapping and ablation of 29 patients with atriofascicular APs. METHODS AND RESULTS: Twenty-nine consecutive patients who underwent radiofrequency ablation (RFA) for atriofascicular pathways comprised the series. Demographic factors, clinical features of the tachycardia, ablation site, and results were analyzed. The mean age was 19 +/- 8 years; 15 were men. Three patients had Ebstein's anomaly of the tricuspid valve. Four patients had an additional AP and two patients had concomitant typical atrioventricular nodal reentrant tachycardia. RFA was successful in 28 patients (97%); repeat ablation was required in two patients. The site of successful ablation was on the TA at the site of a sharp, high frequency potential in 15 patients (52%). In the remaining 14 patients, a potential was not found along the TA, and ablation was targeted at the ventricular insertion of the AP into the distal right bundle. At the successful ventricular ablation site, local ventricular activation preceded the surface electrocardiogram by 20 +/- 6 ms. Eight of the 14 patients (57%) undergoing ablation in the ventricle, developed right bundle branch block (RBBB). One patient who underwent successful ablation along the TA also manifested RBBB after ablation; however, this patient had Ebstein's anomaly and preexcitation had completely masked the RBBB. The mean procedure and fluoroscopy time was 150 +/- 32 and 35 +/- 12 minutes, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: In atriofascicular pathways, an AP potential was found along the TA in only 52% of patients. Ablation at the ventricular insertion site often resulted in RBBB (57%), but the AP was also successfully ablated.

Adolescent↗

Primary radiofrequency ablation for incessant idiopathic ventricular tachycardia.

Fascicular VT and RVOT tachycardia are sometimes difficult to induce by programmed electrical stimulation (PES), despite pharmacologic provocation. In such instances, catheter mapping is hampered and efficacy of catheter ablation is difficult to judge. The study included nine patients who presented with incessant idiopathic VT and were directly taken to the electrophysiological laboratory for RF ablation. During the same period, elective ablation was performed on 108 patients with idiopathic VT. The success rate, procedural and fluoroscopy times number of energies, and the peak temperature were evaluated and compared. Of the nine patients, seven had incessant fascicular VT and two had RVOT tachycardia. The mean VT cycle length was 356 +/- 32 ms and the earliest endocardial activation time during VT was 23.6 +/- 6 ms relative to surface QRS complexes. A fascicular potential was not seen in three of the seven patients with fascicular VT. The mean procedural time was 71 +/- 32 minutes and 144 +/- 40 minutes (P = 0.023) while the fluoroscopy time was 14.6 +/- 4.6 minutes and 30 +/- 16 minutes (P < 0.001), respectively, in the primary ablation and elective groups. The total number of RF energies delivered was 2.0 +/- 1.3 versus 7.4 +/- 5.6 (P = 0.07), respectively. The significantly increased procedural time during elective ablation was largely due to time spent in fascicular VT induction. All patients in the primary ablation group were successfully ablated and none had a recurrence. Primary ablation is a safe and effective option in patients with incessant idiopathic VT. Moreover, in fascicular VT, it is superior to elective ablation in terms of success, fluoroscopy and procedural times.

Adolescent↗