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Aims: Three-dimensional rotational angiography (3DRA) of the left atrium (LA) and the esophagus is a simple and safe method for analyzing the relationship between the esophagus and the LA during catheter ablation of atrial fibrillation. The purpose of this study is to describe the location of the esophagus relative to the LA and mobility of the esophagus during ablation procedure., Methods: From 3/2011 to 9/2015, 3DRA of the LA and esophagus was performed in 326 patients before catheter ablation of atrial fibrillation. 3DRAwas performed with visualization of the esophagus via peroral administration of a contrast agent. The positions of the esophagus were determined at the beginning of the procedure, for part of patients also at the end of procedure with contrast esophagography., Results: The most frequent position is behind the center of the LA (91 pts., 31.9%) The least frequent position is behind the right pulmonary veins (27 pts., 9.4%). The average shift of the esophagus position was 3.36±2.15mm, 3.59±2.37mm and 3.67±3.23mm for superior, middle and inferior segment resp., Conclusions: The position of the esophagus to the LA is highly variable. The most common position of the esophagus relative to the LA is behind the middle and left part of the posterior wall of the LA. The least frequently observed position is behind the right pulmonary veins. No significant position change of esophagus motion from before to after the ablation procedure in the majority (≥95%) of the patients was observed., (Copyright © 2017 Cardiological Society of India. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Aims: The objective of this study was to evaluate the mobility of the oesophagus and the stability of the three-dimensional (3D) model of the oesophagus using 3D rotational angiography (3DRA) of the left atrium (LA) and the oesophagus, fused with live fluoroscopy during catheter ablation for atrial fibrillation., Methods and Results: From March 2015 to September 2015, 3DRA of the LA and the oesophagus was performed in 33 patients before catheter ablation for atrial fibrillation. Control contrast oesophagography was performed every 30 min. The positions of the oesophagograms and the 3D model of the LA and the oesophagus were repeatedly measured and compared with the spine. The average shift of the oesophagus ranged from 2.7 ± 2.2 to 5.0 ± 3.5 mm. The average real-time oesophageal shift ranged from 2.7 ± 2.2 to 3.8 ± 3.4 mm. No significant shift was detected until the 90th minute of the procedure. The average shift of the 3D model of the LA and the oesophagus ranged from 1.4 ± 1.8 to 3.3 ± 3.0 mm (right-left direction) and from 0.9 ± 1.2 to 2.2 ± 1.3 mm (craniocaudal direction). During the 2 h procedure, there were no significant shifts of the model., Conclusion: During catheter ablation for atrial fibrillation, there is no significant change in the position of the oesophagus until the 90th minute of the procedure and no significant shift in the 3D model of the LA and the oesophagus. The 3D model of the oesophagus reliably depicts the position of the oesophagus during the entire procedure., (Published on behalf of the European Society of Cardiology. All rights reserved. © The Author 2016. For permissions please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.)

A new method in creating 3D models of the left atrium (LA) and esophagus before catheter ablation of atrial arrhythmias is 3D rotational angiography (3DRA) of the LA. The purpose of this retrospective study was to test various acquisition protocols of the 3DRA and attempt to define the parameters influencing the success of the protocols. From August 2010 to November 2014, 3DRA of the LA using the Philips Allura FD 10 X-ray system was performed in 547 consecutive patients using right atrial and left atrial protocols. Visualization of the esophagus was performed after oral administration of a contrast agent. Patients were monitored for success (creation of a useful 3D models) and evaluated for a number of parameters affecting the success of 3DRA. The success of the RA protocol was 88.89 % with and 91.91 % without esophagus imaging. The success of the LA protocol was 97.42 % with and 94.54 % without esophagus imaging. The only factor reducing the success of the RA protocol was BMI; the LA protocol was not influenced by any factor. Ventricular fibrillation induced in two patients was successfully treated with defibrillation. 3DRA of the LA is a reliable method that supports catheter ablation of complex atrial arrhythmias. The LA protocol with esophagus imaging was significantly more reliable than the RA protocol; the other protocols were comparable. The RA protocol may be negatively affected by high BMI. Simultaneous imaging of the esophagus is safe and feasible, and the LA protocol can be recommended.