Co-Author(s):
Kent Nilsson, Doctor of Medicine - Cardiac Electrophysiology, Johns
Hopkins University
MIchael Ahmed, BS Cellular Biology - Medical Student
Sujay Sreenivasan, A.B Music - Medical Student, University of Georgia
Medical College of Georgia
AU/UGA MEDICAL PARTNERSHIP University of Georgia Health Sciences Campus
Prince Avenue Athens, GA 30602
Introduction | Objectives: Pulmonary vein isolation (PVI) has emerged as a cornerstone of
management for atrial fibrillation. This procedure typically includes
the use of fluoroscopy studies for catheter navigation, thus exposing
both health care workers and the patient to harmful ionizing
radiation.
We hypothesized that the next generation
Tacticath SE ablation catheter would reduce fluoroscopy time compared
with the previously used Tacticath ablation catheter due to its ability
to be visualized using Mediguide virtual fluoroscopy.
Methods: Retrospective analysis of patients who underwent PVI at Piedmont Athens
Regional Hospital over a three year period (06/15/2017 to 06/25/2020).
140 patients were ablated using a Tacticath ablation catheter, and 85
patients were ablated using the sensor enabled Tacticath SE. The average
fluoroscopy study time between the two cohorts were subsequently
compared.
Results: The average fluoroscopy time using the Tacticath ablation catheter was
4.96 minutes versus 3.6 minutes with the next generationTacticath SE
ablation catheter (27.4% reduction, p< 0.001).
Conclusions: n combination with Mediguide Virtual Fluoroscopy, the Tacticath SE
ablation catheter significantly reduces fluoroscopy study time and
ionizing radiation in PVI procedures.