title: The Benefit of a General, Systematic Use of Mapping Systems During Electrophysiological Procedures in Children and Teenagers: The Experience of an Adult EP Laboratory.
abstract: Standard imaging during electrophysiological procedures (EPs) uses fluoroscopy. The aim of this study was to evaluate the feasibility, efficacy, safety and effect of an extended use of non-fluoroscopic mapping systems (NMSs) for imaging during paediatric EPs in an adult EP laboratory focusing on the amount of X-ray exposure. This study is a retrospective analysis that includes consecutive young patients (83 pts, aged between 8 and 18) who underwent EPs from March 2005 to February 2015. We compare the fluoroscopy data of two groups of pts: Group I, pts who underwent EPs from 2005 to 2008 using only fluoroscopy and Group II, pts who underwent EPs from 2008 to 2015 performed also using NMSs. The use of an NMS resulted in reduced fluoroscopy time in Group II {median value 0.1 min (95 % CI [0.00-1.07])} compared to Group I {median value 3.55 min (95 % CI [1.93-7.83]) (MW test, P < 0.05)}. There was a complementary reduction in the total X-ray exposure from 2.53 Gy cm(2) (95 % CI [1.51-4.66]) in Group I to 0.05 Gy cm(2) in Group II (95 % CI [0.00-1.22]) (MW test, P < 0.05). Regarding ablation procedures, the median effective dose decreased from 3.04 mSv (95 % CI [1.22-6.89]) to 0.25 mSv (95 % CI [0.00-0.60]) (MW test, P < 0.05). The use of an NMS dramatically reduces fluoroscopy time and total X-ray exposure during EPs in children and teenagers in an adult EP laboratory. In our experience, this reduction is mainly related to the systematic day-to-day use of NMSs.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, S. Chiara Hospital, Trento, Italy. massimiliano.marini@apss.tn.it.
authors.forename: Massimiliano
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Marini
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, S. Maria del Carmine, Rovereto, TN, Italy.
authors.forename: Maurizio
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Del Greco
authors.affiliation: Department of Physics, S. Chiara Hospital, Trento, Italy.
authors.forename: Daniele
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Ravanelli
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, S. Maria del Carmine, Rovereto, TN, Italy.
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Cima
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, S. Chiara Hospital, Trento, Italy.
authors.forename: Alessio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Coser
authors.affiliation: Department of Paediatric, S. Chiara Hospital, Trento, Italy.
authors.forename: Giulio
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Porcedda
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, S. Chiara Hospital, Trento, Italy.
authors.forename: Fabrizio
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Guarracini
authors.affiliation: Department of Physics, S. Chiara Hospital, Trento, Italy.
authors.forename: Aldo
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Valentini
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, S. Chiara Hospital, Trento, Italy.
authors.forename: Roberto
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Bonmassari
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D001145:Arrhythmias, Cardiac / Q000601:surgery*; D017115:Catheter Ablation / Q000379:methods*; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D005471:Fluoroscopy; D006801:Humans; D021621:Imaging, Three-Dimensional / Q000379:methods*; D053208:Kaplan-Meier Estimate; D008297:Male; D011829:Radiation Dosage; D012189:Retrospective Studies
keywords: Electroanatomic mapping system; Electrophysiological procedures; Non-fluoroscopic imaging; Paediatric population