Background: Femoral vascular access using the standard anatomic landmark-guided method is often limited by peripheral artery disease and obesity. We investigated the effect of ultrasound-guided vascular puncture (UGVP) on the rate of vascular complications in patients undergoing catheter ablation for atrial or ventricular arrhythmias. Methods: The data of 479 patients (59% male, mean age 68 years ± 11 years) undergoing catheter ablation for left atrial (n = 426; 89%), right atrial (n = 28; 6%) or ventricular arrhythmias (n = 28; 6%) were analyzed. All patients were on uninterrupted oral anticoagulants and heparin was administered intravenously during the procedure. Femoral access complications were compared between patients undergoing UGVP (n = 320; 67%) and patients undergoing a conventional approach (n = 159; 33%). Complication rates were also compared between patients with a BMI of >30 kg/m² (n = 136) and patients with a BMI < 30 kg/m² (n = 343). Results: Total vascular access complications including mild hematomas were n = 37 (7.7%). In the conventional group n = 17 (10.7%) and in the ultrasound (US) group n = 20 (6.3%) total vascular access complications occurred (OR 0.557, 95% CI 0.283–1.096). UGVP significantly reduced the risk of hematoma > 5 cm (OR 0.382, 95% CI 0.148, 0.988) or pseudoaneurysm (OR 0.160, 95% CI 0.032, 0.804). There was no significant difference between the groups regarding retroperitoneal hematomas or AV fistulas (p > 0.05). In patients with BMI > 30 kg/m², UGVP led to a highly relevant reduction in the risk of total vascular access complications (OR 0.138, 95% CI 0.027, 0.659), hematomas > 5 cm (OR 0.051, 95% CI 0.000, 0.466) and pseudoaneurysms (OR 0.051, 95% CI 0.000, 0.466). Conclusion: UGVP significantly reduces vascular access complications. Patients with a BMI > 30 kg/m² seem to particularly profit from a UGVP approach.

Background: The demand for transvenous lead extraction (TLE) has increased. In line with this, the safety of such procedures has also increased. Traditionally, TLE is performed under resource-intensive general anaesthesia. This study aims to evaluate the safety and outcomes of Cardiologist-lead deep sedation for TLE. Methods: We retrospectively analysed 328 TLE procedures performed under deep sedation from 2016 to 2019. TLE procedures were performed by experienced electrophysiologists. Sedation was administered by a specifically trained cardiologist (bolus midazolam/fentanyl and propofol infusion). Procedural sedation data including blood pressure, medication administration and sedation time were collected. Complications related to sedation and the operative component of the procedure were analysed retrospectively. Results: The sedation-associated complication rate during TLE was 22.0%. The most common complication (75% of complications) was hypotension requiring noradrenaline, followed by bradycardia requiring atropine (13% of complications). Additionally, the unplanned presence of an anaesthesiologist was needed in one case (0.3%). Deep sedation was achieved with midazolam (mean dose 42.9 ± 26.5 µg/kg), fentanyl (mean dose 0.4 ± 0.6 µg/kg) and propofol (mean dose 3.5 ± 1.2 mg/kg/h). There was no difference in medication dosage between those with a sedation-associated complication and those without. Sedation-associated complications appeared significantly more in patients with reduced LVEF (p = 0.01), renal impairment (p = 0.01) and a higher American Society of Anaesthesiologists (ASA) class (p = 0.01). Conclusion: Deep sedation for TLE can be safely performed by a specifically trained cardiologist, with a transition to general anaesthesia required in only 0.3% of cases. We continue to recommend the on-call availability of an anaesthesiologist and cardiac surgeon in case of major complications.

Background: The aim of this study was to assess long-term efficacy and safety of empirical slow pathway (ESP) ablation in pediatric and adult patients with a special interest in patients without dual AV nodal physiology (DAVNP). Methods: A retrospective single-center review of patients who underwent ESP ablation between December 2014 and September 2022 was performed. Follow-up included telephone communication, letter questionnaire and outpatient presentation. Recurrence was based on typical symptoms. Results: 115 patients aged 6–81 years (median age 36.3 years, 59.1% female; 26 pts < 18 years) were included. A typical history was present in all patients (100%), an ECG documentation of narrow complex tachycardia in 97 patients (84%). Patients were divided into three groups: Group 1 without DAVNP (n = 23), Group 2 with AH jump (n = 30) and Group 3 with AH jump and at least one AV nodal echo beat (n = 62). No permanent AV block was observed. During a median follow-up of 23.6 ± 22.7 months, symptom recurrence occurred in 7/115 patients (6.1%) with no significant difference between the groups (p = 0.73, log-rank test). Symptom recurrence occurred significantly more often in patients without (5/18 patients; 27%) as compared to patients with ECG documentation (2/97 patients; 2.1%; p = 0.025). No correlation between age and success rate was found (p > 0.1). Conclusions: ESP ablation is effective and safe in patients with non-inducible AVNRT. Overall, recurrence of symptoms during long-term follow-up is low, even if no DAVNP is present. Tachycardia documentation before the EP study leads to a significantly lower recurrence rate following ESP ablation.

Background: Epicardial adipose tissue (EAT) is defined as adipose tissue (epicardial fat) between the myocardium and the visceral pericardium. Recent evidence suggests that EAT may play important roles in regard to atrial fibrillation (AF) burden as well as other cardiovascular diseases through complex inflammatory mechanisms. Current evidence regarding the relationship of atrial EAT and BMI, gender or cardiovascular risk factors is mixed. Methods and Results: We conducted a prospective observational study (AFAT) at the German Heart centre in Munich with 200 patients aimed to be included. This represents an interim analysis of the first 75 patients enrolled in the AFAT study. All patients received delayed dual source cardiac computer tomography (CT) imaging which was analysed using 3D segmentation (Figure 1) to quantify left atrial (LA) and right atrial (RA) EAT prior to receiving catheter ablation for AF. The mean age was 67 ± 8.7 years with 46.9 % being female (n=35) and the mean BMI was 28 ± 4.5. Mean LA EAT was 33.1 ml ± 13.2 ml and RA EAT was 32.7 ml ± 12.2ml with a total mean atrial EAT volume of 65.4 ml ± 10.2 ml. Volumes of the left- and right atrial EAT were significantly correlated in our sample (p < 0.001; Pearson correlation coefficient r=0.9). The mean total EAT Volume was significantly larger in males than in females (74 ml vs. 52 ml, p < 0.001) (Figure 2). Linear regression analysis adjusted for cofounders demonstrated significantly larger mean atrial EAT volumes in patients with higher body mass index (p = 0.001) and with increased age (p=0.006). Increased HbA1c levels or increased total cholesterol levels were not associated with higher total atrial EAT Levels (respectively, p=0.066 and p=0.22). Conclusion: Semi-automated CT based atrial segmentation is a novel highly accurate and reproducible way to reliably identify atrial EAT. Left and right atrial EAT volumes are significantly intercorrelated. In this study BMI, Age and male gender were independently associated with higher EAT levels.Visualization of atrial EATGender differences in atrial EAT (ml)