title: Catheter ablation of recurrent scar-related ventricular tachycardia using electroanatomical mapping and irrigated ablation technology: results of the prospective multicenter Euro-VT-study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Ventricular tachycardia (VT) late after myocardial infarction is an important contributor to morbidity and mortality. This prospective multicenter study assessed the efficacy and safety of electroanatomical mapping in combination with open-saline irrigated ablation technology for ablation of chronic recurrent mappable and unmappable VT in remote myocardial infarction.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In 8 European institutions, 63 patients (89% males) were enrolled in the study. All patients had remote myocardial infarction and presented with a median number of 17 (range 1-380) VTs in the preceding 6 months. Incessant VT was present in 14 patients (22%). Left ventricular ejection fraction measured 30 +/- 13%. A mean of 3 VTs were targeted per patient and 22% of all patients had only unmappable VT. The mean follow-up period was 12 +/- 3 months. A total of 164 VTs were targeted during catheter ablation. Ablation was acutely successful in 51 patients (81%). One patient (1.5%) experienced a major complication with degeneration of VT into ventricular fibrillation necessitating cardiopulmonary resuscitation maneuvers. However, no death occurred acutely or within the first 30 days after catheter ablation. During the follow-up, 19 of the initially successful ablated patients (37%) and 31 of all ablated patients (49%) developed some type of VT recurrence.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results of this multicenter study demonstrate the high acute success rate and a low complication rate of irrigated tip catheter ablation of all clinical relevant VTs in remote myocardial infarction. However, during the follow-up a relevant number of recurrences occurred.
authors: Department of Electrophysiology Leipzig, University of Leipzig-Heart Center, Germany. hildegard.tanner@insel.ch
authors: Hildegard
authors: H
authors: Tanner
authors: Gerhard
authors: G
authors: Hindricks
authors: Marius
authors: M
authors: Volkmer
authors: Steve
authors: S
authors: Furniss
authors: Volker
authors: V
authors: Kühlkamp
authors: Dominique
authors: D
authors: Lacroix
authors: Christian
authors: C
authors: DE Chillou
authors: Jesús
authors: J
authors: Almendral
authors: Domenico
authors: D
authors: Caponi
authors: Karl-Heinz
authors: KH
authors: Kuck
authors: Hans
authors: H
authors: Kottkamp
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D018780:Body Surface Potential Mapping / Q000379:methods*; D017115:Catheter Ablation / Q000379:methods*; D002921:Cicatrix / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000601:surgery*; D005060:Europe; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007036:Hypothermia, Induced / Q000379:methods; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D055502:Secondary Prevention; D017180:Tachycardia, Ventricular / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery*; D007507:Therapeutic Irrigation / Q000379:methods*; D016896:Treatment Outcome