Spanish Registry of Catheter Ablation. Third Official Report of the Working Group on Electrophysiology and Arrhythmias of the Spanish Society of Cardiology (2003)

INTRODUCTION: The results of the Third Spanish Catheter Ablation Registry, developed by the Working Group on Electrophysiology and Arrhythmias, are presented for the third consecutive year (2003). MATERIAL AND METHOD: In contrast to previous years, data were collected in two different ways at the discretion of the participating center. Retrospective were obtained with a standard questionnaire, as in previous years. Prospective data were obtained from a database of records completed after each ablation was performed. Results and complications are presented according to different arrhythmic substrates. RESULTS: Thirty-nine centers participated in the registry (25 supplied prospective data and 14 retrospective data), representing more than 80% of all electrophysiological laboratories in Spain. A total number of 4354 ablations were recorded (111 procedures per center, 2723 from the prospective registry and 1631 from the retrospective one). The substrate most frequently treated was AV nodal reentry tachycardia (31.6%, 98% success), followed by accessory pathways (26%, 89% success) and atrial macro-reentry tachycardia (23%, 90% success). The incidence of complications was 1.7% and mortality was 0.11%. With the prospective registry we obtained more comprehensive information individualized for each procedure (age, sex, underlying cardiomyopathy, anticoagulation, sedation, type of catheter, etc.). CONCLUSIONS: The high rate of participation in the registry and the consistency of the results with previous years help to consolidate the registry as a reference for the rest of the scientific community. The results from the prospective registry showed better-quality information and more detailed reporting of results and complications.