Introduction: The aim of this study was to compare visualization of left atrial appendage (LAA) using intracardiac echocardiography (ICE) from right atrium (RA) and right ventricular outflow tract (RVOT) during atrial fibrillation ablation procedure.
Methods: Study population included 45 patients (38 men, mean age 59,6 + 11,3 years), in whom ICE was performed during atrial fibrillation ablation procedure. Thirty two patients were on sinus rhytm during ICE. Transesophagial echocardiography (TEE) was performed in all patients before procedure, patients with LAA thrombus were excluded from our study. Visualization of LAA was performed from RA and RVOT in all cases. Possibility of visualization of LAA from both positions was assessed.
Results: Visualization of LAA was appropriate in 36 of 45 (80%) patients from RA and in 44 of 45 patients (98%)) from RVOT (p = 0,02). Mean ICE procedure time was 10,5 + 6,2 minutes, Mean ICE fluoroscopy time was 1,4 + 1,0 min. No thrombi,underdetermined by TEE were found in LAA by ICE. There were no statistically significantly differences in cardiac chamber volumes and left ventricular wall thickness, assesed by transtoracic echocardiography, between patients with good and bad visualization from RA.
Conclusions: Probability of appropriate visualization of LAA from RVOT is statistically significantly higher, then from RA.