Common atrial flutter catheter ablation without discontinuing oral anticoagulation

Area of Science:

• Cardiology
• Electrophysiology

Background:

• Catheter ablation is a common treatment for atrial flutter.
• Oral anticoagulation is often necessary for patients undergoing ablation due to other risk factors.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the safety of performing catheter ablation for common atrial flutter in patients concurrently taking oral anticoagulants.
• To determine the incidence of thromboembolic and bleeding complications in this patient group.

Main Methods:

• A consecutive series of 102 patients with common atrial flutter undergoing cavo-tricuspid isthmus ablation were included.
• All patients were maintained on oral anticoagulants for at least 3 weeks prior to the procedure.
• Various oral anticoagulants were used, including acenocoumarol, dabigatran, rivaroxaban, and apixaban.

Main Results:

• No new pericardial effusions or major complications were observed post-ablation.
• A low rate of mild hematoma at the puncture site (7.8%) was the primary complication.
• The study included a diverse group of patients with a mean age of 67.9 years, predominantly male (83.3%).

Conclusions:

• Catheter ablation for common atrial flutter can be safely performed in patients maintained on oral anticoagulation.
• The risk of significant complications, such as major bleeding or thromboembolic events, appears low.