Acute coronary occlusion during radiofrequency catheter ablation of typical atrial flutter

We report the first case of acute right coronary artery occlusion in an adult patient during radiofrequency catheter ablation of typical atrial flutter. ST segment elevation rapidly resolved with antithrombotic therapy. This complication was thought to be due to the short distance between the endocardium and the right coronary artery at the ablation site, the high-wattage output from the radiofrequency generator, and the lack of sufficient cooling effect related to a severe upstream coronary stenosis. In patients with known right coronary artery stenosis who are suffering from typical atrial flutter, evaluation of the significance of the stenosis would be reasonable.     

Aborted Sudden Cardiac Death Due to Radiofrequency Ablation Within the Coronary Sinus and Subsequent Total Occlusion of the Circumflex Artery

We report a case of aborted sudden cardiac death and subsequent development of malignant drug‐refractory incessant ventricular tachycardia/fibrillation in a patient with acute coronary artery occlusion following radiofrequency ablation within the CS. Catheter ablation is a well‐established therapy for treatment of atrial fibrillation (AF). In patients with longstanding persistent AF extensive left atrial ablation and ablation inside the coronary sinus (CS) is frequently performed. Perimitral flutter following AF ablation is the most common form of left atrial macroreentry, especially in patients with previous ablation of complex fractionated electrograms and incomplete linear lesion sets within the left atrium. Successful ablation of this type of tachycardia is generally difficult and in about 60–70% patients requires additional ablation within the CS to achieve termination of tachycardia or/and left atrial isthmus (LAI) block. A limited number of case reports have been published describing acute coronary artery occlusion during or immediately after LAI ablation within the CS. This case exhibits a potential lethal risk of radiofrequency ablation within the CS.     

Acute myocardial infarction after radiofrequency catheter ablation of typical atrial flutter: histopathological findings and etiopathogenetic hypothesis.

The right atrial inferior cavotricuspid isthmus represents the targeting site for radiofrequency (RF) current application during ablation treatment of typical atrial flutter. Despite the vicinity of the right coronary artery (RCA) to the RF application site and the long energy exposure needed to achieve electrophysiological success, reports about direct thermal damage of the coronary vessel during ablation of the cavotricuspid isthmus are rare and anecdotal. The present is the first case report describing the cardiac macroscopic and histological examination in a patient who died of cardiac rupture, as a complication of a myocardial infarction occurring after a standard procedure of RF ablation of typical atrial flutter. In consideration of the proximity we found between the RF energy-dependent tissue damage and the RCA, thermal-related damage of RCA during ablation of typical atrial flutter should always be considered as a potentially harmful risk of the procedure.     

A case of right coronary artery occlusion, caused by blunt chest trauma and treated with acute coronary artery bypass surgery.

A 37-year-old man sustained occlusion of the right coronary artery after a bicycle accident with blunt chest trauma over the left scapula. Acute coronary angiography was performed because of chest pain and ST-segment elevation. Despite surgically successful acute revascularization the patient developed a transmural inferior wall infarction. Coronary artery occlusion after blunt chest trauma is rare, especially occlusion of the right coronary artery. When it occurs, the impact is usually frontal (car accidents), and not dorsal as in this case. Coronary artery bypass surgery has been reported in a few cases but to the best of our knowledge this is the first report of bypass surgery at the stage of acute transmural ischaemia.     

Total left main coronary artery occlusion in a female patient after AVSD surgical repair in childhood as a cause of non ST elevation myocardial infarction

A case of a 51-year-old woman with symptoms of non-ST-segment elevation acute coronary syndrome and concomitant atrial flutter is presented. Patient underwent atrioventricular septal defect repair in childhood. Coronary angiography showed total occlusion of left main coronary artery and massive collateral network originating from right coronary artery supplying entire left coronary artery. Ablation of atrial flutter had been performed and patient was subsequently submitted to mitral valve replacement, tricuspid valvuloplasty and coronary artery bypass grafting. The potential causes of left main occlusion are in this case discussed.     

Atrial coronary angiography, tachyarrhythmias and the Ta segment

Electrocardiograms and angiograms were reviewed to determine if atrial Ta segment displacements and atrial flutter or fibrillation indicate atrial coronary disease. Atrial circulation was assessed by angiography in 28 patients with chest pain and normal coronary arteries, 29 patients with significant stenosis of at least one major coronary vessel, and 16 with coronary artery disease and atrial flutter or fibrillation. The prevalence of Ta segment displacement was 71% without coronary disease and 79% with coronary disease. There was no relationship between Ta displacement and segmental atrial coronary insufficiency. Among an additional 28 patients with acute transmural myocardial infarction, 79% had equivalent Ta segment displacement. Half of the patients with atrial flutter/fibrillation had significant mitral regurgitation, in contrast to 3% of coronary patients in sinus rhythm (p<0.001), but their atrial coronary circulation was not more severely compromised. Thus, Ta segment displacement did not identify atrial coronary disease and was not more frequent during acute myocardial infarction. Abnormal atrial perfusion did not explain Ta segment displacement or atrial flutter/fibrillation.     

ST segment elevation and chest pain during cryoablation of atrial flutter.

A 61-year-old male was treated with cryoablation for typical atrial flutter. Cryoablation was performed percutaneously with an 8-mm tip catheter to achieve a bidirectional conduction block of the cavo-tricuspid isthmus. When freezing at the point where bidirectional isthmus block occurred, the patient experienced chest pain and ECG showed ST segment elevations corresponding to the right coronary artery. Cryoablation may be painless per se, but patients should be told to report chest discomfort and surface ECG must be followed carefully during ablation.     

射频消融治疗心房扑动

目的总结典型心房扑动的射频消融治疗经验。方法56例因反复心悸的住院患者,男性38例,女性18例,平均年龄(54.2±6.2)岁。体表心电图及动态心电图记录阵发心房扑动34例,持续心房扑动22例,口服胺碘酮治疗效果差。全部病例常规取右股静脉途径插入20极环状Halo电极记录心房激动顺序,4极电极送至冠状窦供起搏标测使用。结果全部手术成功。其中36例心房扑动于射频发放过程中终止,20例于窦性心律下放电消融。所有病例于消融结束后分别起搏冠状窦近端和低位右心房,证实峡部双相传导阻滞作为消融终点,即刻成功率100%。平均随访(6±2.6)个月,3例于术后2个月复发,复发率5.4%,经再次射频消融治疗成功,随访6个月,未再复发。结论以温控射频导管不间断放电线性消融治疗典型心房扑动疗效肯定,成功率高。     

Coronary artery dissection following radiofrequency ablation for atrial fibrillation: Case report and review of the literature

Coronary artery injury following catheter ablation for cardiac arrhythmias is very rare. We present a case of left circumflex (LCx) coronary artery dissection causing inferoposterior ST-elevation myocardial infarction following radiofrequency (RF) ablation for atrial fibrillation (AF) in a 39-year-old male with no cardiovascular risk factors. This was confirmed on coronary angiography and intracoronary vascular ultrasound (IVUS). The likely etiology is thermal injury during RF ablation for AF, due to the close proximity of the left atrial appendage and left pulmonary veins to the LCx. He was successfully treated with primary percutaneous coronary intervention with good outcome. This is, to our knowledge, the first reported case of proven acute coronary dissection secondary to RF ablation for AF reported in the literature, and highlights the importance of considering this as a mechanism for coronary occlusion in these patients.     

Right Coronary Artery Occlusion During RF Ablation of Typical Atrial Flutter

RCA Occlusion During RF Ablation . Right coronary artery (RCA) occlusion and acute myocardial infarction are rare during radiofrequency (RF) ablation of the cavotricuspid isthmus. Ventricular fibrillation (VF) or cardiac arrest in the periprocedural period may be the initial or only clinical manifestation. Septal or lateral RF delivery may increase the risk. We report 2 cases of RCA occlusion during ablation of typical atrial flutter (AFL). Angiographic and anatomical correlations are illustrated. One patient was ablated with a septal approach, the other with a lateral approach, and in each instance the RCA occluded near the ablative lesions. If septal or lateral ablation lines are contemplated during ablation of isthmus‐dependent atrial flutter, fluoroscopic or electroanatomic confirmation of catheter position is pivotal. Smaller tipped catheters, energy titration (to minimally effective dose), saline irrigation, or cryoablation should also be considered to help avoid this serious complication. (J Cardiovasc Electrophysiol, Vol. pp. 818‐821, July 2010)     

Cryoablation versus Radiofrequency Ablation in the treatment of Atrial Flutter trial (CRAAFT)

Introduction Atrial flutter is frequently treated with radiofrequency (RF) ablation with excellent results. While RF ablation remains the gold standard for catheter based treatment of atrial flutter, cryoablation has potential advantages including painless ablation and cryoadherence to the myocardium. We performed a prospective randomised trial comparing cryoablation and RF ablation in the treatment of atrial flutter.Methods and results We randomised 32 consecutive patients with typical atrial flutter to either radiofrequency ablation using an 8 mm tip Blazer II XP catheter (EP Technology, San Jose, USA) or cryoablation using a 9 French 8 mm tip Freezor Max catheter (CryoCath Technologies Inc, Kirkland, QU, Canada). Twenty eight patients were then followed up for a mean of 14.7 months. The procedure was successful in producing isthmus block in all but one patient in the cryoablation group. Cryoablation was associated with a significantly longer procedure (171 vs 99 min) and ablation duration (59 vs 12.7 min), however fluoroscopy exposure was similar (30 vs 29 min). Cryoablation was associated with reduced pain scores compared with RF (mean pain score 0.4 vs 3.5). There were two recurrences of atrial flutter during follow-up, both in the cryoablation group.Conclusions Cryoablation has improved patient tolerability compared to RF ablation, however is associated with longer procedure and ablation durations. Further trials are required to confirm whether cryoablation has similar acute and chronic efficacy to RF ablation.     

Acute pleuropericarditis after coronary stenting: a case report.

A case of acute pleuropericarditis, which occurred after apparently successful percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) for chronic total occlusion of the right coronary artery, is reported. The patient underwent coronary stenting without any immediate signs of complications. However, he had an acute onset of chest pain with fever which happened 4 h after PCI. He was diagnosed with acute pleuropericarditis by blood tests, electrocardiogram, chest X-ray, and echocardiogram. He rapidly recovered by intravenous hydrocortisone followed by oral prednisone administrations and percutaneous catheter pericardial drainage. Acute pleuropericarditis relevant to post-cardiac injury syndrome with an atypically early onset might have occurred in this case as a rare complication of PCI.     

Intracoronary thrombolysis in evolving isolated right ventricular infarction

In a 52-year-old man with severe chest pain of 3 hours duration and ST-segment elevation in leads V1 and V2, a nondominant right coronary artery was recanalized by an intracoronary infusion of urokinase. Coronary cineangiography revealed a total occlusion of the nondominant right coronary artery and no significant narrowing of the left coronary artery. Hemodynamic studies during the acute phase of myocardial infarction demonstrated an increase of right atrial mean pressure in association with normal pulmonary capillary wedge pressure. Following the recanalization, chest pain disappeared and hemodynamic alterations were corrected. The purpose of this report is to document a case of isolated right ventricular infarction due to a nondominant right coronary artery occlusion.     

Unusual ST-t changes in Ebstein's anomaly with occlusion of a nondominant coronary artery

We present a case report of a patient of Ebstein's anomaly presenting with unusual ECG changes during acute coronary syndrome. The patient had undergone radiofrequency ablation of right posteroseptal accessory pathway. Two years later, he presented with acute chest pain. His ECG revealed ST elevation of 6-7 mm in leads III, aVF. V3R and V1-V4 with atrioventricular dissociation. He was thrombolysed for the same. He subsequently underwent an angiogram for continuing angina. His angiogram showed a nondominant right coronary artery with a 95% stenosis. The left circumflex artery was dominant but without any stenosis. The left anterior descending artery was also normal. Angiogplasty and stenting were done for the right coronary artery lesion and the patient did well on follow-up. The ST segment elevation in the anterior precordial leads resulting from occlusion of a nondominant right coronary artery is unusual. The possible reason for this is the isolated right ventricular infarction in the absence of any left ventricular infarction. Thus the electrical current of injury resulting from the right ventricular infarction was unopposed by any counterbalancing current of injury from the inferior surface of the left ventricle.     

Radiofrequency Catheter Ablation in Unusual Mechanisms of Atrial Fibrillation:

RF Catheter Ablation in AF. Introduction: The purpose of this study was to test the feasibility of radiofrequency (RF) catheter ablation of localized mechanisms of atrial fibrillation (AF).
Methods and Results: Three patients underwent RF catheter ablation for drug-resistant atrial arrhythmias. The first two patients had either incessant atrial tachycardia or AF. In the first patient, the KCG pattern of AF was mimicked by a very rapid atrial focus, whereas in the second patient, AF was due to true degeneration of the atrial activity triggered by atrial tachycardia. In both patients, the ablation of atrial focus led to the clinical disappearance of AF. The third patient had frequent episodes of AF, which lasted several days or weeks, and two documented episodes of atrial flutter. Mapping during AF showed an irregular atrial rhythm in the atrial septum, particularly in the region surrounding the coronary sinus, whereas the entire lateral right atrial free wall exhibited a constantly organized rhythm. RF energy was applied between the tricuspid ring and both the inferior vena cava and the coronary sinus, resulting in inability to reinduceatrial flutter or sustained AF. A 6-month follow-up in this patient showed the disappearance of prolonged episodes of AF.
Conclusion: The observations indicate that AF may be linked to "focal" mechanisms that can be treated by RF catheter ablation.     

Early atrial fibrillation during evolving myocardial infarction: a consequence of impaired left atrial perfusion

Seven of 214 patients (3%) with acute myocardial infarction (120 inferior and 94 anterior) developed atrial fibrillation within 3 hr of the onset of chest pain. All seven patients had an inferior infarction and in all seven the left circumflex artery was occluded proximal to the origin of its left atrial circumflex branch. In five patients this occlusion was acute and was the cause of inferior infarction and in the remaining two patients the occlusion was old and the inferior infarction was due to an acute occlusion of the right coronary artery that also supplied extensive collaterals to the previously occluded left circumflex artery. All seven patients also had impaired perfusion to the atrioventricular nodal artery, as evidenced by total occlusion proximal to its origin or by stenosis proximal to its origin associated with second- or third-degree atrioventricular block. In contrast, early atrial fibrillation did not occur in any of the 18 patients with inferior myocardial infarction due to acute occlusion of the distal left circumflex artery or in any of the five patients with inferior infarction due to acute occlusion of the proximal left circumflex artery if perfusion to the atrioventricular nodal artery was not impaired. Early atrial fibrillation did not occur in any of the 90 patients with inferior infarction due to acute occlusion of the right coronary artery, including 12 patients with occlusion proximal to the sinus nodal artery, but without coexistent occlusion of the left circumflex artery.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Utility of echocardiography for the early assessment of patients with nondiagnostic chest pain

A two-dimensional (2D) echocardiogram was recorded shortly after admission in 46 patients with nondiagnostic chest pain. Eighteen patients were studied during chest pain and 28 were studied following the resolution of chest pain. Of the 18 patients studied during chest pain, six of the eight patients who had a regional wall motion abnormality (RWMA) evolved an acute infarction and the remaining two patients had evidence of significant coronary artery disease. Only 1 of 10 patients without a RWMA evolved an infarction and none had significant coronary artery disease. Of the 28 patients studied following the resolution of chest pain, 8 of the 10 patients with a RWMA evolved an acute infarction and one patient had evidence of significant coronary artery disease, whereas of 18 patients without a RWMA, none evolved an acute infarction and five had evidence of significant coronary artery disease. These data suggest that in patients presenting with nondiagnostic chest pain, an early assessment of regional wall motion by 2D echocardiography can reliably differentiate patients with myocardial ischemia or early infarction from patients with nonischemic chest pain when performed during an episode of chest pain; can also identify those patients with early acute myocardial infarction, even when performed following the resolution of chest pain; but is not useful for the detection of patients with significant coronary artery disease without infarction when performed following the resolution of chest pain.     

Radiofrequency ablation for cure of atrial flutter

Abstract Background: Atrial flutter is a common arrhythmia which frequently recurs after cardioversion and is relatively difficult to control with antiarrhythmic agents.
Aims: To evaluate the success rate, recurrence rate and safety of radiofrequency (RF) ablation for atrial flutter in a consecutive series of patients with drug refractory chronic or paroxysmal forms of the arrhythmia.
Methods: Electrophysiologic evaluation of atrial flutter included activation mapping with a 20 electrode halo cadieter placed around the tricuspid annulus and entrainment mapping from within the low right atrial isthmus. After confirmation of the arrhythmia mechanism with these techniques, an anatomic approach was used to create a linear lesion between the inferior tricuspid annulus and the eustachian ridge at the anterior margin of the inferior vena cava. In order to demonstrate successful ablation, mapping techniques were employed to show that bi-directional conduction block was present in the low right atrial isthmus.
Results: Successful ablation was achieved in 26/27 patients (96%). In one patient with a grossly enlarged right atrium, isthmus block could not be achieved. Of the 26 patients with successful ablation, mere has been one recurrence of typical flutter (4%) during a mean follow-up period of 5.5±2.7 months. This patient underwent a successful repeat ablation procedure. Of eight patients with documented clinical atrial fibrillation (in addition to atrial flutter) prior to the procedure, five continued to have atrial fibrillation following the ablation. There were no procedural complications and all patients had normal AV conduction at the completion of the ablation.
Conclusions: RF ablation is a highly effective and safe procedure for cure of atrial flutter. In patients with chronic or recurrent forms of atrial flutter RF ablation should be considered as a first line therapeutic option.     

Stable secondary arrhythmias late after intraoperative radiofrequency ablation of atrial fibrillation: incidence, mechanism, and treatment

INTRODUCTION: Intraoperative radiofrequency (RF) ablation is an effective treatment of atrial fibrillation (AF). However, secondary arrhythmias late after ablation may complicate the patient's course. We report on the incidence, mechanisms, and treatment of gap-related atrial flutter and other secondary arrhythmias during long-term follow-up. METHODS AND RESULTS: In 129 patients who underwent intraoperative RF ablation with placement of left atrial linear lesions using minimally invasive surgical techniques, secondary arrhythmias were analyzed during long-term follow-up (20 +/- 6 months). Transient atrial arrhythmias during the first 3 postoperative months were excluded. In 8 (6.2%) of 129 patients, sustained stable secondary arrhythmias were documented. Left atrial, gap-related atrial flutter was observed in 4 patients (3.1%). The flutter was treated by percutaneous RF ablation in 3 patients (2.3%) and with drugs in 1 patient (0.8%). In 2 patients (1.6%), right atrial isthmus-dependent atrial flutter occurred and was treated successfully by percutaneous RF ablation. In 2 patients (1.6%), ectopic right atrial tachycardias occurred and were treated with percutaneous RF ablation. CONCLUSION: Late after intraoperative RF ablation of atrial fibrillation, three types of stable secondary arrhythmias were observed in 6% of patients: left atrial gap-related atrial flutter, right atrial isthmus-dependent atrial flutter, and ectopic atrial tachycardia. Gaps after intraoperative RF ablation due to noncontinuous or nontransmural linear lesions may lead to stable left atrial macroreentrant tachycardias, requiring new interventional therapy.     

Macroscopic and microscopic study of the right coronary artery after radiofrequency catheter ablation of cavotricuspid isthmus in an experimental model]

INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVES: The right coronary artery (RCA) is found in the AV groove, just below the ablation target of atrial flutter, the cavotricuspid isthmus (ICT). After radiofrequency (RF) ablation with standard catheters, there have been no reports of complications, but it may not be successful in 10% of the cases. However, the use of irrigated tip catheters, which create deeper lesions, might potentially damage the coronary tree. METHODS: We analyzed the effects of ICT RF ablation on the coronary tree, with macroscopic and microscopic anatomopathological study. Ablation on ICT was performed using an irrigated tip catheter in 16 pigs and was randomly compared with a standard ablation catheter. There were no clinical problems, modifications of ST or new arrhythmias during the ablation. The heart was extracted at 1 week. RESULTS: The macroscopic study demonstrated that the right coronary artery was preserved, along the ICT, surrounded by the epicardial fat. The microscopic study showed an inflammatory reaction in the epicardial fat that reached the adventitia of the coronary artery, but never produced necrosis in 14 cases. The muscular wall of the artery had signs of focal inflammation without endothelium involvement in 2 cases. However, we found a subepicardial vein completely damaged by the radiofrequency. CONCLUSIONS: Although the right coronary artery is located just below the isthmus, no necrosis was observed in any case. However, there was an inflammatory reaction that focally reached the muscular wall. The veins may be damaged in RF ablation, perhaps due to the different blood flow of each vessel.