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

Abstract

Introduction and objectivesThis article reports the results of the 2020 Spanish Catheter Ablation Registry, a year marked by the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic. MethodsData were collected retrospectively through completion and return of a specific form by the participating centers. ResultsData 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%). ConclusionsThe 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.