Cardiac Ion Channels
Abstract Ion channels are pore-forming membrane proteins that regulate the flow of ions passively down their electrochemical gradient across the membrane. Ion channels are present on all membranes of cells…
Molecular Mechanisms of Cardiac Electrical Activity
Abstract Cardiomyocytes maintain a difference in the concentration of ions across their membranes, resulting in a difference in the electrical charge (i.e., voltage difference) across the cell membrane, called the…
Atrial Transseptal Catheterization
Abstract A detailed understanding of the anatomy of the atrial septum and its relationship with critical structures such as the aortic root and the posterior atrial wall is crucial to…
Ablation of Idiopathic Left and Right Ventricular and Fascicular Tachycardias
Abstract Idiopathic ventricular tachycardias (VTs) usually occur in specific locations and have specific QRS morphologies. The most common idiopathic VT is VT from the outflow tract of the right ventricle…
Substrate-Based Ablation for Ventricular Tachycardia
Abstract Ventricular tachycardia (VT) in the setting of structural heart disease, whether ischemic or nonischemic in etiology, is usually caused by reentry caused by the presence of scar. Catheter ablation…
Special Considerations for Ablation in Pediatric Patients
Abstract Children are usually smaller than adults, but in general ablation techniques used in adults should not simply be miniaturized to fit the size of the pediatric patient. Multiple factors,…
Epicardial Approach to Catheter Ablation of Ventricular Tachycardia
Abstract The ability to map the epicardial surface of the heart has led to significant advances in our understanding of arrhythmogenic substrates associated with disease-specific etiologies. Access to the pericardial…
Ablation of Ventricular Tachycardia in Coronary Artery Disease
Abstract Ventricular tachycardia (VT) can develop late after myocardial infarction, often in the context of advanced systolic dysfunction, potentially resulting in hemodynamic instability and sudden death. Although implantable cardioverter-defibrillators are…
Ablation of Unstable Ventricular Tachycardia and Ventricular Fibrillation
Abstract A body of work has developed to supplement the classic methods of activation and entrainment mapping for cases of hemodynamically unstable ventricular tachycardia (VT). Definition of the arrhythmic substrate…
Ablation of Ventricular Tachycardia With Congenital Heart Disease
Abstract Monomorphic ventricular tachycardia in postoperative congenital heart disease patients is based upon morphologic/anatomic variants of the heart defect itself or caused by ventricular incisions and patches that allow initiation…
