Remote navigation systems in electrophysiology

Europace. 2008 Nov:10 Suppl 3:iii57-61. doi: 10.1093/europace/eun234.

Abstract

Today, atrial fibrillation (AF) is the dominant indication for catheter ablation in big electrophysiologists (EP) centres. AF ablation strategies are complex and technically challenging. Therefore, it would be desirable that technical innovations pursue the goal to improve catheter stability to increase the procedural success and most importantly to increase safety by helping to avoid serious complications. The most promising technical innovation aiming at the aforementioned goals is remote catheter navigation and ablation. To date, two different systems, the NIOBE magnetic navigation system (MNS, Stereotaxis, USA) and the Sensei robotic navigation system (RNS, Hansen Medical, USA), are commercially available. The following review will introduce the basic principles of the systems, will give an insight into the merits and demerits of remote navigation, and will further focus on the initial clinical experience at our centre with focus on pulmonary vein isolation (PVI) procedures.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Atrial Fibrillation / diagnosis*
  • Atrial Fibrillation / surgery*
  • Body Surface Potential Mapping / methods*
  • Diagnostic Imaging / methods*
  • Humans
  • Robotics / methods*
  • Surgery, Computer-Assisted / methods*
  • Systems Integration
  • Telemedicine / methods*