Early clinical experience of radiofrequency catheter ablation using an audiovisual telesupport system

An audiovisual telesupport system that enables real-time audiovisual communications between 2 long-distance hospitals is one method of telemedicine. The usefulness and safety of radiofrequency catheter ablation (RFCA) using an audiovisual telesupport system has not been well established.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of RFCA using an audiovisual telesupport system.

An audiovisual telesupport system using a strictly secured virtual network was established between Kamisu Saiseikai Hospital (operator with 10 years' experience and 800 procedures) and the University of Tsukuba (advisor with >20 years' experience and 8000 procedures). We evaluated 19 initial consecutive patients who underwent RFCA using this system for tachyarrhythmia: 10 with atrial fibrillation (AF), 5 with paroxysmal supraventricular tachycardia (PSVT), 3 with premature ventricular contraction (PVC), and 1 with atrial flutter. Electrophysiological and procedural characteristics were retrospectively assessed.

Acute success was achieved in all 19 patients without any major complications, with the advisor's audiovisual assistance. Mean procedure time and fluoroscopic time were 161 ± 44 minutes and 24 ± 14 minutes for AF, 110 ± 17 minutes and 28 ± 8 minutes for PVC, and 132 ± 19 minutes and 32 ± 2 minutes for PSVT, respectively. There was no recurrence of clinical arrhythmia in 17 of the 19 patients (89%) during 13 ± 9 month follow-up.

An audiovisual telesupport system for RFCA is a useful and safe method that enabled the electrophysiologist with limited human resources to make an optimal decision regarding procedural strategy and endpoint with the remote advisor's audiovisual assistance.