Use of intracardiac echocardiography in interventional electrophysiology

Abstract

Intracardiac echocardiography is emerging as a potentially useful tool during RF ablation procedures. There are a number of potential benefits of direct endocardial visualization during RF ablution including: (1) precise anatomical localization of the ablution catheter tip in relation to important endocardial structures, which cannot be visualized with fluoroscopy; (2) reduction in fluoroscopy time; (3) evaluation of catheter tip tissue contact; (4) confirmation of lesion formation and identification of lesion size and continuity; (5) immediate identification of complications; and (6) as a research tool to help in understanding the critical role played by specific endocardial structures in a..