Patient satisfaction and clinical outcome following outpatient radiofrequency catheter ablation of supraventricular tachycardia.

BACKGROUND

Catheter ablation is an effective and safe treatment for various arrhythmic disorders. Patients are frequently admitted for an overnight stay after the ablation procedure to monitor for possible postprocedural complications or recurrence of the arrhythmia. The aim of this study was to assess patient satisfaction in patients with supraventricular tachycardia following catheter ablation on an outpatient basis.

METHODS

243 consecutive patients (129 male, 53%; mean age 49 +/- 17 years) underwent electrophysiological study and radiofrequency catheter ablation either on an outpatient basis or a hospitalisation that included at least an overnight hospital stay (inpatient) at a university hospital. All patients were asked to complete a specially designed questionnaire that addressed patient satisfaction as well as the clinical outcome after ablation at six months.

RESULTS

The ablation procedure was performed on an outpatient basis in 119 patients (49%). The long-term procedural success rate was 99%. The overall patient satisfaction with the ablation procedure and with the clinical outcome at six months was 90%. There were no significant differences between outpatient and inpatient groups with respect to ablation results and patient satisfaction. Patients in the outpatient group returned to work after 2.8 +/- 1.9 days as compared to 3.9 +/- 2.2 days in the in hospital group (p = 0.001).

CONCLUSION

Overall patient satisfaction and self-reported clinical outcome are comparable for outpatient and inpatient catheter ablations. Patients undergoing outpatient procedures may return to work earlier. Therefore, outpatient ablation procedures may be considered for selected patients without significant comorbidities.