title: The LocaLisa system as the key to shortening the procedure duration and fluoroscopy time during ablation of atrial fibrillation.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Ablation of atrial fibrillation (AF) can be difficult and time-consuming. Systems facilitating catheter navigation may be helpful.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To compare the efficacy of the LocaLisa system with the conventional mapping/ablation approach to radiofrequency (RF) ablation of AF.
  
  
  METHODS
  Group 1, consisting of 64 patients (48 male; aged 51.5+/-10.6 years), underwent segmental isolation of the pulmonary veins with the Lasso catheter and the LocaLisa system. Group 2, consisting of 64 patients (44 male, aged 51.4+/-11.0 years), had RF ablation guided by means of a conventional fluoroscopy-based approach. Clinical and procedural data were analysed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Nine patients from group 1 and three patients from group 2 had persistent AF. In group 1 the mean number of isolated veins was 3.98+/-0.96, while in group 2 - 4.0+/-0.95 (NS). In group 1 cavotricuspid isthmus lines were created in four patients and lines in the roof of the left atrium in two patients. One patient needed slow pathway ablation. In group 2 six patients had ablation of the cavotricuspid isthmus and a line was created at the roof of the left atrium in one patient. Two patients had ectopic activity ablated in the crista terminalis. Procedure times were 131.6+/-40.3 and 170.0+/-56.5 min (p <0.0001) and fluoroscopy times were 16.93+/-9.7 and 35.66+/-12.7 min (p <0.0001) for groups 1 and 2, respectively. Long-term efficacy of RF ablation was similar in both groups (for example, complete success was achieved in 59% of patients using LocaLisa and 50% without using this system, NS).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The LocaLisa navigation system makes it possible to shorten both the duration of the procedure and the total fluoroscopy time during ablation of AF.
authors.affiliation: 1st Department of Cardiology, Medical University of Warsaw, Poland.
authors.forename: Edward
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Koźluk
authors.forename: Marcin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gawrysiak
authors.forename: Piotr
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Lodziński
authors.forename: Marek
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kiliszek
authors.forename: Aleksandra
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Winkler
authors.forename: Janusz
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kochanowski
authors.forename: Agnieszka
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Piatkowska
authors.forename: Jarosław D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Kasprzak
authors.forename: Dariusz
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Kozłowski
authors.forename: Grzegorz
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Opolski
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001281:Atrial Fibrillation / Q000601:surgery*; D018780:Body Surface Potential Mapping / Q000379:methods*; D017115:Catheter Ablation / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods; D004562:Electrocardiography / Q000379:methods; D004567:Electrodes, Implanted; D005471:Fluoroscopy / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016343:Monitoring, Intraoperative / Q000379:methods; D025321:Surgery, Computer-Assisted / Q000379:methods*; D016896:Treatment Outcome