Initial experience of novel over the wire type decapolar catheter for ventricular arrhythmias originating from left ventricular summit.

BACKGROUND

Previously, direct monitoring of local activation at the communicating vein (CV) has been reported to be useful for the ablation of ventricular arrhythmias (VAs) originating from the left ventricular (LV) summit. In this study, we evaluated the performance of the novel over-the-wire (OTW)-type decapolar catheter for VAs originating from the LV summit.

METHODS

Overall, 17 patients who underwent catheter ablation for idiopathic VAs originating from the LV summit were included in this study. Of these, seven patients underwent mapping of the epicardial LV outflow tract with the novel 2.7 Fr OTW-type decapolar catheter (EPstar FIX AIV), and ten underwent mapping with the standard 2.0 Fr octopolar catheter (EPstar FIX 2F) procedure (AIV group = EPstar FIX AIV and control group = EPstar FIX 2F).

RESULTS

No significant differences in the baseline characteristics were observed between the two groups. In the AIV group, all patients achieved successful catheter positioning in the target CV, whereas in the control group, two patients failed to achieve the same. The novel catheter not only advanced to the target vessels using a 0.014-in guidewire but it was also used for contrast injection from the catheter lumen, which enabled accurate and safe positioning. As a result, the earliest activation time preceding QRS onset during the VA, recorded at the CV, was significantly earlier when compared with the control group (44.66 ± 11.23 ms vs. 32.16 ± 4.26 ms, P = 0.007).

CONCLUSIONS

Compared with the conventional electrode catheter, this novel multipolar electrode catheter is more effective for mapping local activation at the CV.