Ablation of Focal Right Upper Pulmonary Vein Tachycardia Using Retrograde Aortic Approach

Abstract

The use of diagnostic and therapeutic methods for assessing pulmonary vein due to its status as a main source of ectopic beats for the initiation of atrial dysrrythmias is strongly recommended.  We report the case of a 13-year-old girl who was admitted to our hospital with the electrocardiogram manifestation of an ectopic atrial tachycardia. The focus of arrhythmia was inside the right upper pulmonary vein. The patient underwent successful ablation with a conventional electrophysiology catheter via the retrograde aortic approach. We showed that when the origin of atrial tachycardia is in the right upper pulmonary vein, it is possible to advance the catheter into this vein via the retrograde aortic approach and find the focus of arrhythmia. This case demonstrates that right upper pulmonary vein mapping is feasible through the retrograde aortic approach and it is also possible to ablate the arrhythmia using the same catheter and approach.