Atrioventricular nodal reentry tachycardia treatment using CARTO 3 V7 activation mapping: a new era of slow pathway radiofrequency ablation is under coming

• Published in: Frontiers in cardiovascular medicine Vol. 10; p. 1144988
• Main Authors: Chieffo, Enrico, D’Amore, Sabato, De Regibus, Valentina, Dossena, Cinzia, Frigerio, Laura, Taravelli, Erika, Ferrazzano, Carolina, De Iuliis, Pasquale, Cacucci, Michele, Landolina, Maurizio E.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Frontiers Media S.A 29-09-2023
• Subjects: activation map; atrioventricular nodal reentry tachycardia; Cardiovascular Medicine; CARTO 3 version 7; Confidense module; RF ablation; slow pathway
• ISSN: 2297-055X; 2297-055X
• DOI: 10.3389/fcvm.2023.1144988

Background
Slow pathway (SP) ablation is the cornerstone for atrioventricular nodal reentry tachycardia (AVNRT) treatment, and a low-voltage bridge offers a good target during mapping using low x-ray exposure. We aimed to assess a new tool to identify SP by activation mapping using the last CARTO3® version, i.e., CARTO PRIME® V7 (Biosense Webster, Diamond Bar, CA, USA)
Methods and results
Right atrial septum and triangle of Koch 3D-activation map were obtained from intracardiac contact mapping during low x-ray CARTO 3® procedure. In 60 patients (mean age 60.3 ± 14.7, 61% females) undergoing ablation for AVNRT, an automatic activation map using a DECANAV® mapping catheter and CARTO® Confidense™, Coherent, and FAM DX software modules were obtained. The SP was identified in all patients as the latest atrioventricular node activation area; RF catheter ablation (RFCA) in that region elicited junctional beats. The mean procedural time was 150.3 ± 48.3 min, the mean fluoroscopy time exposure was 2.9 ± 2 min, the mean dose-area product (DAP) was 16.5 ± 2.7 cGy/cm
2
. The mean number of RF applications was 3.9 ± 2, the mean ablation index was 428.6 ± 96.6, and the mean contact force was 8 ± 2.8 g. There were no adverse event during the procedure, and no AVNRT recurrences occurred during a mean follow-up of 14.3 ± 8.3 months.
Conclusion
Ablation of the SP by automatic mapping using Confidense™, Coherent, and FAM DX software modules is an innovative, safe, and effective approach to AVNRT ablation. The CARTO3® V7 system shows on a 3D map the latest AV node activation area during sinus rhythm allowing low fluoroscopy time and highly effective RFCA.