Retrograde access of the left atrium for catheter ablation in atrial fibrillation using robotic magnetic navigation: a case series
Pulmonary vein isolation (PVI) is the cornerstone of atrial fibrillation (AF) ablation for which the left atrium (LA) is usually accessed by the antegrade femoral venous route and transseptal puncture. However, in rare cases, alternative routes must be used to overcome anatomical challenges (congenital or acquired). Because often not known in advance, these anomalies are associated with a high number of failed ablation attempts. A retrograde approach via the femoral artery and by subsequently passing the aortic and mitral valve is virtually impossible using conventional manually operated catheters due to the need of multiple curves.
