Five years of catheter ablation procedures in South-Western Europe: meta-analysis of National Registries.
BACKGROUND
Radiofrequency catheter ablation is a well-established approach to treating several types of cardiac arrhythmias. The aim of our study was to provide data on the diffusion of catheter ablation procedures in clinical practice through a meta-analysis of National Registries of electrophysiological procedures performed over a 5-year period, from 2000 to 2005.


METHODS
We found only two national registries of catheter ablation procedures published in the journals indexed in PubMed: The Spanish Catheter Ablation Registry and the Portuguese National Registry on Cardiac Electrophysiology. In addition, we included in our analysis the data from the Italian Registry of Electrophysiological Procedures.


CONCLUSIONS
This meta-analysis revealed a steady increase in the total number of catheter ablation procedures, particularly for the ablation of atrial flutter, of tachycardia due to double nodal pathways, and of the left atrial substrate in atrial fibrillation. However, the progress of catheter ablation and the impetus for additional research and development of new approaches and technologic advances requires further data on clinical indications, methodologic approach, complications, and long-term success rate in the real world.
Inama
Giuseppe
G
Department of Cardiology, Ospedale Maggiore, Crema, Italy. g.inama@hcrema.it
Pedrinazzi
Claudio
C
Adragao
Pedro
P
Alvarez
Miguel
M
Arribas
Fernando
F
Bonhorst
Daniel
D
Elvas
Luis
L
Landolina
Maurizio
M
Merino
Josè L
JL
Rodriguez
Enrique
E
De Sousa
Joao
J
Gulizia
Michele
M