[Practical experience of specific catheter ablation of atrial flutter in 110 patients]

The object of this study was to assess the efficacy and risks of radiofrequency ablation of common atrial flutter and to determine the optimal site of ablation in a large population of patients. Three different methods were used to determine the site of ablation: the first was anatomical and electrophysiological whilst the two others were based essentially on anatomical landmarks for localising the critical zone of the reentry circuit. Recent studies report that radiofrequency ablation is effective in interrupting and preventing recurrences of common atrial flutter both by using anatomical and electrophysiological methods. Nevertheless, a larger series of patients was necessary to establish the efficacy and to determine the optimal site of ablation. A series of 110 consecutive patients with common atrial flutter resistant to antiarrhythmic drugs was studied. The site of ablation of the first 50 patients was determined using both anatomical landmarks and electrophysiological parameters. The anatomical zones were: zone 1, between the septal leaflet of the tricuspid valve and the orifice of the inferior vena cava; zone 2, between the septal leaflet of the tricuspid valve and the ostium of the coronary sinus, and zone 3: between the orifice of the inferior vena cava and the ostium of the coronary sinus. The electrophysiological criterion was an endocavitary auriculogramme occurring during the plateau phase preceding the F wave of the flutter.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)