Same-day cardiac catheter ablation is safe and cost-effective: Experience from a UK tertiary center

Catheter ablation is a curative intervention for common arrhythmias such as supraventricular tachycardia and atrial flutter. Many centers still admit patients overnight after this procedure.

This study was performed to evaluate the safety and cost-effectiveness of same-day standard catheter ablation.

We conducted a retrospective study of all consecutive elective same-day procedures performed between 2010 and 2014. Data were collected on baseline parameters, procedure details and success, postoperative complications, unplanned overnight hospital admissions, and clinical outcome (including mortality) at 4-month follow-up. A cost analysis of potential savings was also performed.

A total of 1142 patients underwent planned same-day electrophysiological study with or without ablation. Radiofrequency ablation was performed in 897 of these patients (mean age ± standard error 56 ± 0.6 years, range 16-95 years, 467 males), with 921 arrhythmias ablated and with complete procedural success in 883 cases (96%). There were 92 unplanned admissions (10.3%): 50 for concealed pathways that required transseptal puncture, 19 for immediate complications (including 9 femoral bleeds and 5 pacemakers for heart block), 12 admitted at the operator's discretion, and 11 for other clinical reasons. All had transthoracic echocardiography after the procedure, and none had significant pericardial effusion. At 4-month follow-up, there were 16 readmissions (1 deep vein thrombosis, 3 pericarditic chest pain, 2 femoral hematomas, 7 palpitations, and 3 others) and 1 death (unrelated to ablation). An overnight stay at our center costs $450 (£300); same-day ablation over this period saved our institution $365,000 (£240,000).

Same-day standard catheter ablation is safe and cost-effective, with significant benefits for patients and health care providers. This is particularly important given the current financial climate.