Ventricular versus atrial side ablation for treatment of atrioventricular accessory pathways: a randomized controlled...

The earliest atrial (A)/ventricular (V) activation potentials, or fused A/V potentials, are commonly used as ablation targets for atrioventricular (AV) accessory pathways (APs). However, these targets can be achieved in a relatively wide area of the heart around AV rings at both atrial and ventricular sides. The aim of this study is to analyze the height of intracardiac A and V waves and their correlation to find the most appropriate side for successful delivery of radiofrequency energy, atrial or ventricular edge.

Ninety patients diagnosed with orthodromic AV re-entrant tachycardia (AVRT) or Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome were enrolled. Local atrial/ventricular (A/V) amplitude potentials with the earliest activation or fused AV potentials were measured. Patients were randomly assigned into two groups with a 2:1 ratio. In group 1, ablation was done at the site where A was greater than V. In group 2, V was greater than A. Primary endpoint was success at first attempt, achieving antegrade AP conduction block, AV block during right ventricle pacing, or AVRT termination with no AP conduction.

Fifty-one patients (56.7%) were male. Thirty patients had an ablation at an atrial site (A > V) and 60 at a ventricular site (V > A). Ablation was more successful at the ventricular site (87% vs 100%, P = 0.011). All 30 patients in the atrial arm and 71% of the ventricular group underwent ablation via the antegrade method.

Success of catheter ablation of APs is higher where V > A (ventricular site of AP), indicating the priority of the ventricular edge of the mitral ring for a better outcome.