Placement of electrode catheters into the coronary sinus during electrophysiology procedures using a femoral vein approach

Abstract

The femoral vein approach used in this study has 2 limitations. First, it requires the use of a deflectable tip catheter, which typically is $200 to $300 more expensive than a standard electrode catheter. Second, with the femoral vein approach used in the present study, the total number of pacing and recording sites is limited to 3. However, because the coronary sinus catheter can be used for atrial pacing, and because the right atrial electrogram is rarely required for diagnostic purposes, we have found the combination of the coronary sinus, His bundle electrogram, and right ventricular apex positions to be adequate in virtually all patients undergoing an electrophysiologic procedure in whom coronary sinus electrograms are needed for a diagnostic or mapping purpose.