Indications for catheter ablation and results in Andalusia,Spain

INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVES: We report the results of the first Catheter Ablation Registry of the Arrhythmia Working Group of the Andalusian Society of Cardiology (AWGASC) for 2000. METHODS: The register includes information about the ablation procedures performed in 2000, which was collected retrospectively and submitted voluntarily by four out of six cardiac electrophysiology laboratories of the AWGASC. A total of 424 patients (mean age 45 18 years; 50% men) were included. Twelve patients underwent two different ablation procedures, bringing the total number of procedures to 436. The overall success rate (based on current criteria), success rate by procedure, in-hospital mortality, and major complications are reported. RESULTS: The type and distribution of the ablation procedures were atrioventricular nodal re-entry tachycardia ablation, 34%; accessory pathway ablation, 39%; ventricular tachycardia ablation, 8%; atrial tachycardia ablation, 3%; atrioventricular junctional ablation, 9%, and cavo-tricuspid isthmus ablation, 9%. The overall success rate was 94% (range 97.8% to 87.4% in different laboratories), rate of major complications 1.1% (range 0% to 3.7%), and overall mortality 0.23% (1 patient). CONCLUSIONS: These findings summarize the indications and results of catheter ablation procedures performed in 2000 at four cardiac electrophysiology laboratories in Andalusia. This is the first multicenter registry in Spain.