Related Experiment Video
Updated: Dec 9, 2025
Optocardiography and Electrophysiology Studies of Ex Vivo Langendorff-perfused Hearts
Published on: November 7, 2019
Catheter-based electrical interventions to study, diagnose and treat arrhythmias in horses: From refractory period to
Gunther van Loon1, Glenn Van Steenkiste1, Lisse Vera1
1Equine Cardioteam, Department of Large Animal Internal Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Salisburylaan 133, B-9820 Merelbeke, Belgium.
Insights
Catheter-based interventional cardiology in horses utilizes echocardiography for imaging. Advanced techniques like electroanatomical mapping and transvenous electrical cardioversion are successfully treating arrhythmias.
Area of Science:
- Veterinary Cardiology
- Interventional Cardiology
- Equine Medicine
Background:
- Accurate imaging is crucial for minimally-invasive catheter procedures in human medicine.
- Traditional imaging modalities (fluoroscopy, CT, MRI) have limitations in equine anatomy.
- Echocardiography is the preferred imaging technique for visualizing catheters in horses.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the application and advancements of catheter-based interventional cardiology in horses.
- To highlight the efficacy of current techniques in diagnosing and treating equine arrhythmias.
- To discuss the potential of emerging technologies in equine cardiac interventions.
Main Methods:
- Review of existing literature on catheter-based procedures in horses.
- Application of pacing for arrhythmia induction and research.
- Electrophysiological studies and pacemaker implantation.
- Transvenous electrical cardioversion for atrial fibrillation.
- Three-dimensional electroanatomical mapping for tachycardia ablation.
Main Results:
- Echocardiography enables effective catheter visualization in horses.
- Permanent pacemaker implantation is successful for bradycardia.
- Transvenous electrical cardioversion is the treatment of choice for equine atrial fibrillation.
- Three-dimensional electroanatomical mapping provides valuable electrophysiological data and facilitates successful ablation of atrial tachycardia.
Conclusions:
- Catheter-based interventional cardiology is a viable and advancing field in equine medicine.
- Echocardiography is essential for guiding cardiac interventions in horses.
- Advanced techniques like electroanatomical mapping offer new diagnostic and therapeutic possibilities for equine arrhythmias.
Abstract:
Minimally-invasive catheter-based interventional cardiology is a mainstay for the diagnosis and treatment of arrhythmias in human medicine. Very accurate imaging using fluoroscopy, CT and MRI is essential during interventional cardiology procedures. Because these imaging techniques are either not possible or provide too little anatomical detail in horses, echocardiography is currently the best technique to visualize catheters in horses. Over the past decades, catheter-based techniques have been applied to induce arrhythmias using pacing and to perform arrhythmia research using electrophysiological studies. In bradycardic animals with clinical signs, permanent pacing can be achieved by pacemaker implantation via the cephalic vein. Transvenous electrical cardioversion, based on one cardioversion catheter in the pulmonary artery and one in the right atrium, has become the treatment of choice for atrial fibrillation in horses, even for longstanding or drug-resistant atrial fibrillation. Recently, the highly advanced technique of three dimensional electroanatomical mapping has been described in horses. This technique has not only revealed essential electrophysiological data in horses, but has also facilitated the successful ablation of atrial tachycardia in horses.
Related Concept Videos
01:30Dysrhythmias V: Evaluating Dysrhythmias
01:25ECG Interpretation of Arrhythmias II: Atrial, Junctional and Ventricular Arrhythmias
01:30Cardiac Action Potential
The cardiac action potential process involves a series of phases characterized by the movement of ions across the cardiac cell membranes, leading to the depolarization and repolarization of the cardiac myocytes.
Ionic Basis of Cardiac Action Potentials
01:28Mechanism of Cardiac Arrhythmias
01:28Electrocardiogram Fundamentals
An electrocardiogram (ECG) is a diagnostic tool for identifying cardiac conditions such as arrhythmias, conduction abnormalities, and myocardial ischemia.
Definition
An electrocardiogram (ECG) visualizes the heart's electrical activity by tracing the electrical movement associated with each heartbeat on a graph or monitor. As the heart beats, an electrical wave passes through it, correlating with the cardiac cycle events.
Parts of an ECG
An ECG utilizes electrodes on the skin...
01:25Dysrhythmias VI: Management of Dysrhythmias