Electrophysiologic characteristics and outcome of segmental ostial superior vena cava isolation in patients with paroxysmal atrial fibrillation initiated by superior vena cava ectopy: comparison with pulmonary vein isolation.
BACKGROUND
This study investigated the electrophysiologic characteristics and outcome of superior vena cava (SVC) segmental ostial isolation (SOI) in patients with SVC-initiated paroxysmal atrial fibrillation (PAF).


METHODS
Ninety-five patients with PAF underwent pulmonary vein (PV) SOI using a basket catheter whether the PAF originating from PVs was observed or not. Fifteen of those patients also underwent SVC SOI in the same manner due to evidence of SVC origin PAF.


RESULTS
The SVC musculature networks and electrical connections with the atrium (multiple separate electrical connections in 10, multiple separate musculature networks with separate electrical connections in 1, and a continuous broad electrical connection in 4 SVCs) were similar to those of the PV musculature. However, the occurrence of an electrical connection recovery after SOI in patients with recurrent atrial fibrillation was lower for SVCs (25%) than PVs (58%).


CONCLUSIONS
Superior vena cava SOI appears to have a lower recurrent conduction rate than PV SOI.
Muto
Masahiro
M
Division of Cardiology, Hamamatsu Medical Center, Hamamatsu, Japan.
Yamada
Takumi
T
Murakami
Yoshimasa
Y
Okada
Taro
T
Okamoto
Mitsuhiro
M
Shimizu
Takeshi
T
Toyama
Junji
J
Yoshida
Yukihiko
Y
Tsuboi
Naoya
N
Ito
Teruo
T
Kondo
Takahisa
T
Inden
Yasuya
Y
Hirai
Makoto
M
Murohara
Toyoaki
T
D000328:Adult; D001281:Atrial Fibrillation / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000601:surgery*; D018780:Body Surface Potential Mapping; D005260:Female; D006329:Heart Conduction System / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011667:Pulmonary Veins / Q000601:surgery*; D013479:Superior Vena Cava Syndrome / Q000601:surgery*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D018879:Ventricular Premature Complexes / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000601:surgery*