title: Transcatheter creation of atrial septal perforation using a radiofrequency transseptal system: novel approach as an alternative to transseptal needle puncture.
abstract: Indications for the transseptal approach to the left side of the heart have recently broadened, as it provides a therapeutic access for both left-sided catheter ablation and also percutaneous transvenous valvular intervention. Despite rising demand for transseptal procedures, the technique and device used for this purpose have remained essentially unchanged over the past 4 decades. The possibilities of failure of puncturing distorted and thickened atrial septal tissue or risks of complications related to cardiac perforation remain limitations of the technique. A new radiofrequency catheter provides an alternative approach to create a controlled transseptal perforation. We applied this technique to a series of patients and evaluated its feasibility as an alternative to conventional transseptal needle puncture.
authors.affiliation: Evanston Northwestern Healthcare, Evanston, IL 60201, USA.
authors.forename: Yoshihito
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Sakata
authors.forename: Ted
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Feldman
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001024:Aortic Valve Stenosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery*; D006328:Cardiac Catheterization / Q000379:methods*; D017115:Catheter Ablation / Q000295:instrumentation*; D019160:Endosonography; D004867:Equipment Design; D005260:Female; D005471:Fluoroscopy; D006325:Heart Atria; D006346:Heart Septum / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008946:Mitral Valve Stenosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery*; D009339:Needles; D011677:Punctures / Q000295:instrumentation*