Surface electrocardiogram characteristics of atrial tachycardias occurring after pulmonary vein isolation.
OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this study was to describe the surface electrocardiogram (ECG) morphology of common atrial tachycardias (ATs) that occur after pulmonary vein (PV) isolation.


BACKGROUND
Focal ATs from reconnected PVs and macroreentrant mitral annular (MA) flutter are the most common form of ATs occurring after PV isolation.


METHODS
Patients with persistent AT after PV isolation underwent mapping and ablation. Tachycardia origin and mechanism were determined using electroanatomic mapping and entrainment techniques. Patients with typical right atrial flutter occurring after PV isolation were also included for comparison.


RESULTS
Thirty-nine tachycardias were identified in 36 patients, either focal left AT (n = 24) or MA flutter (n = 15). Focal ATs originated from reconnected segments of the right PVs (n = 14) and left PVs (n = 10). MA flutters were counterclockwise (CCL; n = 9) or clockwise (CL; n = 6). Patients with MA flutter had a shorter tachycardia cycle length (239 +/- 7 vs. 259 +/- 34 s; P <.05) than those with focal ATs. CCL MA flutter was positive in the inferior and precordial leads and had a significant negative component in leads I and aVL. CL MA flutter demonstrated the converse limb lead morphology with a significant negative F wave in the inferior leads and positive F wave in leads I and aVL. A negative component in lead I, when present, was best at differentiating CCL MA flutter from left PV ATs, while a positive F wave in lead I was best at differentiating CL MA flutter from CCL right atrial flutter.


CONCLUSIONS
There are unique surface ECG characteristics for CL and CCL MA flutter and AT due to reconnected PVs; knowledge of these characteristics may help when planning an ablation strategy.
Gerstenfeld
Edward P
EP
Section of Cardiac Electrophysiology, Division of Cardiology, Department of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania Health System, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104, USA. edward.gerstenfeld@uphs.upenn.edu
Dixit
Sanjay
S
Bala
Rupa
R
Callans
David J
DJ
Lin
David
D
Sauer
William
W
Garcia
Fermin
F
Cooper
Joshua
J
Russo
Andrea M
AM
Marchlinski
Francis E
FE
D000368:Aged; D001282:Atrial Flutter / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology; D017115:Catheter Ablation; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D004452:Echocardiography; D004562:Electrocardiography; D022062:Electrophysiologic Techniques, Cardiac; D005260:Female; D006329:Heart Conduction System / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011667:Pulmonary Veins / Q000502:physiology / Q000601:surgery*; D013617:Tachycardia, Supraventricular / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000601:surgery