High-density substrate-guided ventricular tachycardia ablation: role of activation mapping in an attempt to improve procedural effectiveness

Application of EnsiteTM LiveView Function for Identification of Scar-related Ventricular Tachycardia Isthmus

INTRODUCTION

Dynamic display of real-time wavefront activation pattern may facilitate the recognition of reentrant circuits, particularly the diastolic path of ventricular tachycardia (VT).

OBJECTIVE

We aimed to evaluate the feasibility of LiveView Dynamic Display for mapping the critical isthmus of scar-related reentrant VT.

METHODS

Patients with mappable scar-related reentrant VT were selected. The characteristics of the underlying substrates and VT circuits were assessed using HD grid multi-electrode catheter. The VT isthmuses were identified based on the activation map, entrainment, and ablation results. The accuracy of the LiveView findings in detecting potential VT isthmus was assessed.

RESULTS

We studied 18 scar-related reentrant VTs in 10 patients (median age: 59.5 years, 100% male) including 6 and 4 patients with ischemic and non-ischemic cardiomyopathy, respectively. The median VT cycle length was 426 ms (interquartile range: 386-466 ms). Among 590 regional mapping displays, 92.0% of the VT isthmus sites were identified by LiveView Dynamic Display. The accuracy of LiveView for isthmus identification was 84%, with positive and negative predictive values of 54.8% and 97.8%, respectively. The area with abnormal electrograms was negatively correlated with the accuracy of LiveView Dynamic Display (r = -0.506, p = 0.027). The median time interval to identify a VT isthmus using LiveView was significantly shorter than that using conventional activation maps (50.5 [29.8-120] vs. 219 [157.5-400.8] s, p = 0.015).

CONCLUSION

This study demonstrated the feasibility of LiveView Dynamic Display in identifying the critical isthmus of scar-related VT with modest accuracy. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

2019 HRS/EHRA/APHRS/LAHRS expert consensus statement on catheter ablation of ventricular arrhythmias: executive summary

Ventricular arrhythmias are an important cause of morbidity and mortality and come in a variety of forms, from single premature ventricular complexes to sustained ventricular tachycardia and fibrillation. Rapid developments have taken place over the past decade in our understanding of these arrhythmias and in our ability to diagnose and treat them. The field of catheter ablation has progressed with the development of new methods and tools, and with the publication of large clinical trials. Therefore, global cardiac electrophysiology professional societies undertook to outline recommendations and best practices for these procedures in a document that will update and replace the 2009 EHRA/HRS Expert Consensus on Catheter Ablation of Ventricular Arrhythmias. An expert writing group, after reviewing and discussing the literature, including a systematic review and meta-analysis published in conjunction with this document, and drawing on their own experience, drafted and voted on recommendations and summarized current knowledge and practice in the field. Each recommendation is presented in knowledge byte format and is accompanied by supportive text and references. Further sections provide a practical synopsis of the various techniques and of the specific ventricular arrhythmia sites and substrates encountered in the electrophysiology lab. The purpose of this document is to help electrophysiologists around the world to appropriately select patients for catheter ablation, to perform procedures in a safe and efficacious manner, and to provide follow-up and adjunctive care in order to obtain the best possible outcomes for patients with ventricular arrhythmias.

2019 HRS/EHRA/APHRS/LAHRS expert consensus statement on catheter ablation of ventricular arrhythmias

Ventricular arrhythmias are an important cause of morbidity and mortality and come in a variety of forms, from single premature ventricular complexes to sustained ventricular tachycardia and fibrillation. Rapid developments have taken place over the past decade in our understanding of these arrhythmias and in our ability to diagnose and treat them. The field of catheter ablation has progressed with the development of new methods and tools, and with the publication of large clinical trials. Therefore, global cardiac electrophysiology professional societies undertook to outline recommendations and best practices for these procedures in a document that will update and replace the 2009 EHRA/HRS Expert Consensus on Catheter Ablation of Ventricular Arrhythmias. An expert writing group, after reviewing and discussing the literature, including a systematic review and meta-analysis published in conjunction with this document, and drawing on their own experience, drafted and voted on recommendations and summarized current knowledge and practice in the field. Each recommendation is presented in knowledge byte format and is accompanied by supportive text and references. Further sections provide a practical synopsis of the various techniques and of the specific ventricular arrhythmia sites and substrates encountered in the electrophysiology lab. The purpose of this document is to help electrophysiologists around the world to appropriately select patients for catheter ablation, to perform procedures in a safe and efficacious manner, and to provide follow-up and adjunctive care in order to obtain the best possible outcomes for patients with ventricular arrhythmias.

2019 HRS/EHRA/APHRS/LAHRS expert consensus statement on catheter ablation of ventricular arrhythmias: Executive summary

Ventricular arrhythmias are an important cause of morbidity and mortality and come in a variety of forms, from single premature ventricular complexes to sustained ventricular tachycardia and fibrillation. Rapid developments have taken place over the past decade in our understanding of these arrhythmias and in our ability to diagnose and treat them. The field of catheter ablation has progressed with the development of new methods and tools, and with the publication of large clinical trials. Therefore, global cardiac electrophysiology professional societies undertook to outline recommendations and best practices for these procedures in a document that will update and replace the 2009 EHRA/HRS Expert Consensus on Catheter Ablation of Ventricular Arrhythmias. An expert writing group, after reviewing and discussing the literature, including a systematic review and meta-analysis published in conjunction with this document, and drawing on their own experience, drafted and voted on recommendations and summarized current knowledge and practice in the field. Each recommendation is presented in knowledge byte format and is accompanied by supportive text and references. Further sections provide a practical synopsis of the various techniques and of the specific ventricular arrhythmia sites and substrates encountered in the electrophysiology lab. The purpose of this document is to help electrophysiologists around the world to appropriately select patients for catheter ablation, to perform procedures in a safe and efficacious manner, and to provide follow-up and adjunctive care in order to obtain the best possible outcomes for patients with ventricular arrhythmias.

2019 HRS/EHRA/APHRS/LAHRS expert consensus statement on catheter ablation of ventricular arrhythmias

Ventricular arrhythmias are an important cause of morbidity and mortality and come in a variety of forms, from single premature ventricular complexes to sustained ventricular tachycardia and fibrillation. Rapid developments have taken place over the past decade in our understanding of these arrhythmias and in our ability to diagnose and treat them. The field of catheter ablation has progressed with the development of new methods and tools, and with the publication of large clinical trials. Therefore, global cardiac electrophysiology professional societies undertook to outline recommendations and best practices for these procedures in a document that will update and replace the 2009 EHRA/HRS Expert Consensus on Catheter Ablation of Ventricular Arrhythmias. An expert writing group, after reviewing and discussing the literature, including a systematic review and meta-analysis published in conjunction with this document, and drawing on their own experience, drafted and voted on recommendations and summarized current knowledge and practice in the field. Each recommendation is presented in knowledge byte format and is accompanied by supportive text and references. Further sections provide a practical synopsis of the various techniques and of the specific ventricular arrhythmia sites and substrates encountered in the electrophysiology lab. The purpose of this document is to help electrophysiologists around the world to appropriately select patients for catheter ablation, to perform procedures in a safe and efficacious manner, and to provide follow-up and adjunctive care in order to obtain the best possible outcomes for patients with ventricular arrhythmias.

Targeted Ablation of Ventricular Tachycardia Guided by Wavefront Discontinuities During Sinus Rhythm

Background:

Accurate and expedited identification of scar regions most prone to reentry is needed to guide ventricular tachycardia (VT) ablation. We aimed to prospectively assess outcomes of VT ablation guided primarily by the targeting of deceleration zones (DZ) identified by propagational analysis of ventricular activation during sinus rhythm.

Methods:

Patients with scar-related VT were prospectively enrolled in the University of Chicago VT Ablation Registry between 2016 and 2018. Isochronal late activation maps annotated to the latest local electrogram deflection were created with high-density multielectrode mapping catheters. Targeted ablation of DZ (>3 isochrones within 1cm radius) was performed, prioritizing later activated regions with maximal isochronal crowding. When possible, activation mapping of VT was performed, and successful ablation sites were compared with DZ locations for mechanistic correlation. Patients were prospectively followed for VT recurrence and mortality.

Results:

One hundred twenty patients (median age 65 years [59-71], 15% female, 50% nonischemic, median ejection fraction 31%) underwent 144 ablation procedures for scar-related VT. 57% of patients had previous ablation and epicardial access was employed in 59% of cases. High-density mapping during baseline rhythm was performed (2518 points [1615-3752] endocardial, 5049±2580 points epicardial) and identified an average of 2±1 DZ, which colocalized to successful termination sites in 95% of cases. The median total radiofrequency application duration was 29 min (21-38 min) to target DZ, representing ablation of 18% of the low-voltage area. At 12±10 months, 70% freedom from VT recurrence (80% in ischemic cardiomyopathy and 63% in nonischemic cardiomyopathy) was achieved. The overall survival rate was 87%.

Conclusions:

A novel voltage-independent high-density mapping display can identify the functional substrate for VT during sinus rhythm and guide targeted ablation, obviating the need for extensive radiofrequency delivery. Regions with isochronal crowding during the baseline rhythm were predictive of VT termination sites, providing mechanistic evidence that deceleration zones are highly arrhythmogenic, functioning as niduses for reentry.

2019 HRS/EHRA/APHRS/LAHRS expert consensus statement on catheter ablation of ventricular arrhythmias: Executive summary

Ventricular arrhythmias are an important cause of morbidity and mortality and come in a variety of forms, from single premature ventricular complexes to sustained ventricular tachycardia and fibrillation. Rapid developments have taken place over the past decade in our understanding of these arrhythmias and in our ability to diagnose and treat them. The field of catheter ablation has progressed with the development of new methods and tools, and with the publication of large clinical trials. Therefore, global cardiac electrophysiology professional societies undertook to outline recommendations and best practices for these procedures in a document that will update and replace the 2009 EHRA/HRS Expert Consensus on Catheter Ablation of Ventricular Arrhythmias. An expert writing group, after reviewing and discussing the literature, including a systematic review and meta-analysis published in conjunction with this document, and drawing on their own experience, drafted and voted on recommendations and summarized current knowledge and practice in the field. Each recommendation is presented in knowledge byte format and is accompanied by supportive text and references. Further sections provide a practical synopsis of the various techniques and of the specific ventricular arrhythmia sites and substrates encountered in the electrophysiology lab. The purpose of this document is to help electrophysiologists around the world to appropriately select patients for catheter ablation, to perform procedures in a safe and efficacious manner, and to provide follow-up and adjunctive care in order to obtain the best possible outcomes for patients with ventricular arrhythmias.

2019 HRS/EHRA/APHRS/LAHRS expert consensus statement on catheter ablation of ventricular arrhythmias

Ventricular arrhythmias are an important cause of morbidity and mortality and come in a variety of forms, from single premature ventricular complexes to sustained ventricular tachycardia and fibrillation. Rapid developments have taken place over the past decade in our understanding of these arrhythmias and in our ability to diagnose and treat them. The field of catheter ablation has progressed with the development of new methods and tools, and with the publication of large clinical trials. Therefore, global cardiac electrophysiology professional societies undertook to outline recommendations and best practices for these procedures in a document that will update and replace the 2009 EHRA/HRS Expert Consensus on Catheter Ablation of Ventricular Arrhythmias. An expert writing group, after reviewing and discussing the literature, including a systematic review and meta-analysis published in conjunction with this document, and drawing on their own experience, drafted and voted on recommendations and summarized current knowledge and practice in the field. Each recommendation is presented in knowledge byte format and is accompanied by supportive text and references. Further sections provide a practical synopsis of the various techniques and of the specific ventricular arrhythmia sites and substrates encountered in the electrophysiology lab. The purpose of this document is to help electrophysiologists around the world to appropriately select patients for catheter ablation, to perform procedures in a safe and efficacious manner, and to provide follow-up and adjunctive care in order to obtain the best possible outcomes for patients with ventricular arrhythmias.

MR-guided Cardiac Interventions

Diagnostic and interventional cardiac catheterization is routinely used in the diagnosis and treatment of congenital heart disease. There are well-established concerns regarding the risk of radiation exposure to patients and staff, particularly in children given the cumulative effects of repeat exposure. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) offers the advantage of being able to provide better soft tissue visualization, tissue characterization, and quantification of ventricular volumes and vascular flow. Initial work using MRI catheterization employed fusion of x-ray and MRI techniques, with x-ray fluoroscopy to guide catheter placement and subsequent MRI assessment for anatomical and hemodynamic assessment. Image overlay of 3D previously acquired MRI datasets with live fluoroscopic imaging has also been used to guide catheter procedures.Hybrid x-ray and MRI-guided catheterization paved the way for clinical application and validation of this technique in the assessment of pulmonary vascular resistance and pharmacological stress studies. Purely MRI-guided catheterization also proved possible with passive catheter tracking. First-in-man MRI-guided cardiac catheter interventions were possible due to the development of MRI-compatible guidewires, but halted due to guidewire limitations.More recent developments in passive and active catheter tracking have led to improved visualization of catheters for MRI-guided catheterization. Improvements in hardware and software have also increased image quality and scanning times with better interactive tools for the operator in the MRI catheter suite to navigate through the anatomy as required in real time. This has expanded to MRI-guided electrophysiology studies and radiofrequency ablation in humans. Animal studies show promise for the utility of MRI-guided interventional catheterization. Ongoing investment and development of MRI-compatible guidewires will pave the way for MRI-guided diagnostic and interventional catheterization coming into the mainstream.

Cardiac Electrophysiology Under MRI Guidance: an Emerging Technology

MR-guidance of electrophysiological (EP) procedures offers the potential for enhanced arrhythmia substrate assessment, improved procedural guidance and real-time assessment of ablation lesion formation. Accurate device tracking techniques, using both active and passive methods, have been developed to offer an interface similar to electroanatomic mapping platforms, and MR-compatible EP equipment continues to be developed. Progress to clinical implementation of these technically complex fields has been relatively slow over the last 10 years, but recent developments have led to successful clinical experience. However, further advances, particularly in harnessing the full imaging potential of CMR, are required to realise the mainstream adoption of this powerful guidance modality.

Recent advances in ablation of ventricular tachycardia associated with structural heart disease: overcoming the challenges of functional and fixed barriers

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

Ablation of ventricular tachycardia in structural heart disease has evolved to include techniques to ablate the myocardial substrate in sinus rhythm for ventricular tachycardias that are noninducible or hemodynamically unstable. The intricacies of the complex functional and fixed components of the myocardial scar involved in the arrhythmic mechanisms require careful consideration in identifying targets for substrate ablation identified in sinus rhythm.

RECENT FINDINGS

The substrate ablation approach referred to as 'scar homogenization' aims to thoroughly abolish any abnormal electrical activity inside the scar. However, this extensive approach may target bystander abnormal activity that is not necessarily related to arrhythmias. Recently, different substrate ablation strategies have been developed to more selectively target areas of the scar responsible for ventricular tachycardia. New technologies have also been introduced to provide offline analysis of the electroanatomical substrate, and to improve high-density mapping of the myocardial scar.

SUMMARY

Recent advances have improved the ability to ablate ventricular tachycardia using techniques that allow targeting the responsible myocardial substrate while in sinus rhythm. Further research using higher-density mapping with more sophisticated online and offline analysis will aid in the assessment of the complex arrhythmogenicity of the scar and improve efficacy of ventricular tachycardia ablation.

Electrical storm: A clinical and electrophysiological overview

Electrical storm (ES) is a clinical condition characterized by three or more ventricular arrhythmia episodes leading to appropriate implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) therapies in a 24 h period. Mostly, arrhythmias responsible of ES are multiple morphologies of monomorphic ventricular tachycardia (VT), but polymorphic VT and ventricular fibrillation can also result in ES. Clinical presentation is very dramatic in most cases, strictly related to the cardiac disease that may worsen electrical and hemodynamic decompensation. Therefore ES management is challenging in the majority of cases and a high mortality is the rule both in the acute and in the long-term phases. Different underlying cardiomyopathies provide significant clues into the mechanism of ES, which can arise in the setting of structural arrhythmogenic cardiomyopathies or rarely in patients with inherited arrhythmic syndrome, impacting on pharmacological treatment, on ICD programming, and on the opportunity to apply strategies of catheter ablation. This latter has become a pivotal form of treatment due to its high efficacy in modifying the arrhythmogenic substrate and in achieving rhythm stability, aiming at reducing recurrences of ventricular arrhythmia and at improving overall survival. In this review, the most relevant epidemiological and clinical aspects of ES, with regard to the acute and long-term follow-up implications, were evaluated, focusing on these novel therapeutic strategies of treatment.

Impact of general anesthesia on initiation and stability of VT during catheter ablation

BACKGROUND

Radiofrequency ablation of ventricular tachycardia (VT) may be performed with general anesthesia (GA) or conscious sedation; however, comparative data are limited.

OBJECTIVE

The purpose of the study was to assess the effects of GA on VT inducibility and stability.

METHODS

A retrospective comparison of 226 patients undergoing radiofrequency ablation for scar-related VT under GA or intravenous conscious sedation was performed. Data were then prospectively collected in 73 patients undergoing noninvasive programmed stimulation (NIPS) while awake, followed by GA and invasive programmed stimulation for VT induction.

RESULTS

In the retrospective study, groups did not differ in VT inducibility, complications, or abolition of clinical VT. Intravenous hemodynamic support was used more often in the GA group. In the prospective group, 12 patients (16%) were noninducible with NIPS. Of the 61 patients with inducible VT with NIPS, 5 (8%) were noninducible with GA, 25 (41%) were inducible with more aggressive simulation, and 31 (51%) were inducible with the same or less aggressive stimulation. Of the 56 patients who were inducible with NIPS and under GA, 28 (50%) had the same induced VTs and 28 (50%) had different induced VTs. In 23 of 56 patients, the clinical VT morphology was known. The clinical VT was reproduced with NIPS in 17 of 23 patients (74%) and under GA in 13 of 23 patients (59%). Under GA, nonclinical VTs were more often induced in patients with a lower ejection fraction and nonischemic cardiomyopathy.

CONCLUSION

GA does not prevent inducible VT in the majority of patients. GA is associated with an increased use of hemodynamic support, but this did not adversely affect VT stability or procedure outcomes.

Scar Dechanneling

Background—

Ventricular tachycardia (VT) substrate ablation usually requires extensive ablation. Scar dechanneling technique may limit the extent of ablation needed.

Methods and Results—

The study included 101 consecutive patients with left ventricular scar–related VT (75 ischemic patients; left ventricular ejection fraction, 36±13%). Procedural end point was the elimination of all identified conducting channels (CCs) by ablation at the CC entrance followed by abolition of residual inducible VTs. By itself, scar dechanneling rendered noninducibility in 54.5% of patients; ablation of residual inducible VT increased noninducibility to 78.2%. Patients needing only scar dechanneling had a shorter procedure (213±64 versus 244±71 minutes; P =0.027), fewer radiofrequency applications (19±11% versus 27±18%; P =0.01), and external cardioversion/defibrillation shocks (20% versus 65.2%; P <0.001). At 2 years, patients needing scar dechanneling alone had better event-free survival (80% versus 62%) and lower mortality (5% versus 11%). Incomplete CC-electrogram elimination was the only independent predictor (hazard ratio, 2.54 [1.06–6.10]) for the primary end point. Higher end point-free survival rates were observed in patients noninducible after scar dechanneling (log-rank P =0.013) and those with complete CC-electrogram elimination (log-rank P =0.013). The complications rate was 6.9%, with no deaths.

Conclusions—

Scar dechanneling alone results in low recurrence and mortality rates in more than half of patients despite the limited ablation extent required. Residual inducible VT ablation improves acute results, but patients who require it have worse outcomes. Recurrences are mainly related to incomplete CC-electrogram elimination.

Application of ripple mapping to visualize slow conduction channels within the infarct-related left ventricular scar

BACKGROUND

Ripple mapping (RM) displays each electrogram at its 3-dimensional coordinate as a bar changing in length according to its voltage-time relationship with a fiduciary reference. We applied RM to left ventricular ischemic scar for evidence of slow-conducting channels that may act as ventricular tachycardia (VT) substrate.

METHODS AND RESULTS

CARTO-3© (Biosense Webster Inc, Diamond Bar, CA) maps in patient undergoing VT ablation were analyzed on an offline MatLab RM system. Scar was assessed for sequential movement of ripple bars, during sinus rhythm or pacing, which were distinct from surrounding tissue and termed RM conduction channels (RMCC). Conduction velocity was measured within RMCCs and compared with the healthy myocardium (>1.5 mV). In 21 maps, 77 RMCCs were identified. Conduction velocity in RMCCs was slower when compared with normal left ventricular myocardium (median, 54 [interquartile range, 40-86] versus 150 [interquartile range, 120-160] cm/s; P<0.001). All 7 sites meeting conventional criteria for diastolic pathways coincided with an RMCC. Seven patients had ablation colocating to all identified RMCCs with no VT recurrence during follow-up (median, 480 [interquartile range, 438-841] days). Fourteen patients had ≥1 RMCC with no ablation lesions. Five had recurrence during follow-up (median, 466 [interquartile range, 395-694] days). One of the 2 patients with no RMCC locations ablated had VT recurrence at 605 days post procedure. RMCCs were sensitive (100%; negative predictive value, 100%) for VT recurrence but the specificity (43%; positive predictive value, 35.7%) may be limited by blind alleys channels.

CONCLUSIONS

RM identifies slow conduction channels within ischemic scar and needs further prospective investigation to understand the role of RMCCs in determining the VT substrate.