Intro to EP lab
What is an EP
The purpose of an EP study is to assess the electrical properties of the heart.
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It is invasive procedure involving multiple catheters which are inserted into the heart, usually via the femoral vein (in some circumstances the artery).
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The catheters are positioned in different parts of the heart to assess electrical actiation in different rhythms, to induce arrhythmia and if appropriate to ablate arrhythmias.
Personnell in the EP lab
There is a team of specialists in the cath lab including
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EP Cardiologists
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Cardiac Physiologist(s)
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Scout nurse(s)
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Radiographer
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+ / -
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EP fellow
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Cardiac registrar
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Anesthetist
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Anesthetic nurse
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Scrub nurse
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3D mapping rep if tech not trained
Types of EP procedures
Diagnostic EP study
-tachycardia diagnostic (right sided only)
-bradycardia assessment (right sided only)
-VT stimulation (right sided only)
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SVT ablation
-AVNRT ablation (predominantly right sided)
-AVRT / accessory pathway ablation (can be right or left sided)
-atrial tachycardia ablation (can be right or left sided)
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Atrial flutter ablation
-typical (right sided)
-atypical (often left sided)
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Atrial fibrillation ablation
-left sided
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AVN ablation
-predominantly right sided
PVC/VT ablation
-can be right or left sided