Catheter ablation of sinoatrial node reentrant tachycardia

This study evaluates 1) the safety and efficacy of catheter delivery of radiofrequency current to eliminate sustained sinoatrial node reentrant tachycardia; 2) the incidence of sinoatrial node reentrant tachycardia in the current group of patients undergoing electrophysiologic study for paroxysmal supraventricular tachycardia; and 3) the association of sinoatrial node reentrant tachycardia with other tachyarrhythmias.

Sustained sinoatrial node reentrant tachycardia is an uncommon cause of paroxysmal supraventricular tachycardia that is reported to occur infrequently in conjunction with other arrhythmias. Although pharmacologic and surgical therapies are available, there is limited information with regard to catheter ablation of sinoatrial node reentrant tachycardia.

Ten patients with sustained sinoatrial node reentrant tachycardia underwent electrophysiologic study and radiofrequency current ablation. Patients were followed up for 9.2 +/- 6.0 months.

Of 343 consecutive patients referred for electrophysiologic evaluation of paroxysmal supraventricular tachycardia, 11 (3.2%) were found to have inducible sustained sinoatrial node reentrant tachycardia. Nine of the 11 patients had other associated arrhythmias, including atrioventricular (AV) node reentrant tachycardia (6 patients), AV reciprocating tachycardia (2 patients), ectopic atrial tachycardia (2 patients) and bundle branch reentrant tachycardia (1 patient). In 10 patients, direct ablation of sinoatrial node reentrant tachycardia was attempted and was successful in all (confidence interval for failure 0-0.26). Sinoatrial node reentrant tachycardia was eliminated with a median of four radiofrequency current applications (range 1 to 10) at 20 to 30 W. Successful ablation site characteristics during sinoatrial node reentrant tachycardia included 1) atrial activation > or = 35 ms (mean 44 +/- 8 ms) before the onset of the surface P wave, 2) atrial activation > or = 20 ms (mean 28 +/- 6 ms) before the onset of high right atrial activation, and 3) significantly prolonged and fractionated electrograms (mean duration 87 +/- 21 ms). No complications were encountered, and there have been no recurrences of sinoatrial node reentrant tachycardia.

Sinoatrial node reentrant tachycardia may be effectively and safely treated with radiofrequency current ablation at the site of earliest atrial activation.