Spanish Catheter Ablation Registry. 20th Official Report of the Heart Rhythm Association of the Spanish Society of Cardiology (2020)

Abstract

Introduction and objectives: This article reports the results of the 2020 Spanish Catheter Ablation Registry, a year marked by the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic.

Methods: Data were collected retrospectively through completion and return of a specific form by the participating centers.

Results: Data from 97 centers (67 public, 30 private) were analyzed. A total of 15 169 ablation procedures were reported with a mean of 155±117 and a median [interquartile range] of 115 [62-227]. Because of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic, both procedures and participating centers markedly decreased (-3380 procedures,-18%) and there were 5 centers less than in 2019. The most common procedure continued to be atrial fibrillation ablation (4513; 30%), well ahead of the remaining substrates, followed by ablation of the cavotricuspid isthmus (3188; 21%), and intranodal re-entry tachycardia (2808; 18%). Ablation of these 3 substrates continued to form the bulk of the procedures. The total success rate was slightly lower than in previous years (88%) with a similar complication rate (n=309; 2%) and mortality (n=7; 0.04%). A total of 243 procedures were performed in pediatric patients (1.6%).

Conclusions: The Spanish Catheter Ablation Registry systematically and continuously reflects the national trajectory, which, in 2020, was markedly affected by the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic. Although slightly lower than in previous years, the success rate remained high, with a low complication rate.

Keywords: Ablación con catéter; Arrhythmia; Arritmia; Catheter ablation; Electrofisiología; Electrophysiology; Registro; Registry.