REVIEWS  ARRHYTHMIAS 2010 

Minerva Cardioangiologica 2010 December;58(6):649-56

Copyright © 2010 EDIZIONI MINERVA MEDICA

language: English

Value of robotic navigation and ablation

Chun K. R. J., Schulte-Hahn B., Windhorst V., Nowak B., Schmidt B. ✉

Bethanien Cardiology Center, Medicine Clinic III, Markus Hospital, Frankfurt, Germany

Catheter ablation has been established as a potentially curative treatment modality for various arrhythmias. Over the past years, catheter ablation has progressed from focal ablation to complex ablations within a three-dimensional anatomy for the treatment of ventricular tachycardia or atrial fibrillation. Complex ablation relies on reproducible catheter navigation in conjunction with stable catheter position and contact force, which depends on the operators´ individual experience and manual skills. Therefore, it would be desirable that technical innovations pursue the goal to minimize the physician’s physical demands and exposure to scattered fluoroscopy, to improve catheter stability and, most importantly, to increase procedural safety. This review will discuss the role of remote controlled robotic navigation systems in catheter ablation with particular focus on safety, efficacy and novel applications.