Spanish Catheter Ablation Registry. Seventh official report of the Spanish Society of Cardiology Working Group on Electrophysiology and Arrhythmias (2007)

INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVES

This article reports the findings of the 2007 Spanish Catheter Ablation Registry, as compiled by the Spanish Society of Cardiology Working Group on Electrophysiology and Arrhythmias.

METHODS

As in previous years, data were collected in two ways: retrospectively using a standard questionnaire sent to electrophysiology laboratories by the Working Group on Electrophysiology and Arrhythmias, and prospectively from a central database. Each participating center selected its own preferred method of data collection.

RESULTS

Fifty Spanish centers contributed data voluntarily. In total, 7062 ablations were analyzed, averaging 141 (82) per center. The three most frequently treated conditions were atrioventricular nodal reentrant tachycardia (n=2068, 30%), typical atrial flutter (n=1701, 24%) and accessory pathways (n=1624, 23%). A steady increase in both the absolute number of cavotricuspid isthmus ablations for typical atrial flutter and in the relative frequency of this procedure was observed, such that it has overtaken accessory pathway ablation to became the second most common form of treatment. The fourth most common condition was atrial fibrillation (n=659, 9%), which accounted for 22% more procedures than in 2006. Overall, the success rate was 92%, major complications occurred in 1.7%, and the mortality rate was 0.04%.

CONCLUSIONS

Registry data for 2007 show that the number of ablations carried out continues to increase, and has exceeded 7000 for the first time. In general, the success rate was high and there were few complications. Typical atrial flutter, requiring cavotricuspid isthmus ablation, has become the second most frequently treated condition. A moderate steady increase in the number of ablations for atrial fibrillation was also observed.