Intracardiac Electrophysiology Studies

Indications

Listen
  • • Evaluation of tachycardia mechanism, in preparation for catheter ablation procedure.

    • Evaluation of wide QRS tachycardia, where ECG interpretation does not clarify mechanism of tachycardia.

    • Evaluation of sudden cardiac arrest.

    • Evaluation of unexplained syncope.

    • Risk stratification for risk of cardiac arrest in patients with repaired congenital heart disease.

    • Evaluation of conduction system, or risk of tachycardia, particularly prior to surgery for congenital heart disease.

Contraindications

Listen
  • • Lack of vascular access.

Equipment

Listen
  • • Cardiac catheterization laboratory; nursing and technical support staff.

    • Biplane fluoroscopy.

    • Electrode catheters, usually multiple, with recording equipment.

    • Sedation and intravenous access as necessary.

    • Cardiac defibrillator.

    • Resuscitation medications.

Risks

Listen
  • • Vascular injury, peripheral or coronary.

    • Bleeding.

    • Infection.

    • Pneumothorax.

    • Cardiac perforation.

    • Thromboembolism.

    • Initiation of hemodynamically unstable arrhythmia, or conversion of one mechanism of tachycardia into another tachycardia.

    • Arrhythmias may require direct current cardioversion or defibrillation.

    • Radiation exposure.

    • Risk of death: < 0.5%.

Jan 4, 2019 | Posted by in PEDIATRICS | Comments Off on Intracardiac Electrophysiology Studies

Full access? Get Clinical Tree

Get Clinical Tree app for offline access