Review of interventional electrophysiology in Bulgaria in 2019 and 2020: data from the electronic ablation registry BG-EPHY 

Abstract

This study presents data from the national electronic registry BG-EPHY on electrophysiologic (EP) cardiac ablations in 2019 and 2020. Material and methods. This is a retrospective study of a full two-year sample of the BG-EPHY registry. Sex and age distribution of the patients, number of ablations, electroanatomic mapping (EAM), irrigated ablations, distribution of different types of arrhythmia, intraprocedural success and complications are presented. Results. In 2019 four EP laboratories performed 1033 ablations in 652 men (63.1%) and 381 women, incl. 12 pediatric ablations (1.2%). EAM was used in 46.7% of the procedures, irrigation catheter was used in 52.2%, and cryocatheter – in 0.5%. The most common procedure was pulmonary vein isolation, followed by ablation for AV nodal reentrant tachycardia and typical atrial fl utter. In 2020 fi ve EP laboratories performed 835 ablations in 508 men (60.8%) and 327 women, incl. 8 pediatric ablations (1%). EAM was used in 50.9% of the ablations, irrigation catheter – in 54.5%, and cryocatheter – in 3.8%. The most common procedure was again pulmonary vein isolation. Ablation of typical atrial fl utter was the second most frequently performed procedure, ahead of AV nodal reentrant tachycardia. In 2020 the number of ablations of accessory pathways also distinctly dropped by 37%. In both years the acute success was over 98%, and the complications were less than 2%. Conclusion. The national registry of electrophysiology collects systematically and continuously basic data on all cardiac ablations performed in the country. The structure of the EP service is remarkably similar to other European countries. Acute success is very high, while intraprocedural complications are rare. In 2020 the number of the ablations dropped by 19% as a consequence of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Interventional electrophysiology in Bulgaria in 2022: data from the electronic registry BG-EPHY

“…През последните години се публикуват обобщени данни от националния електронен регистър BG-EPHY за извършените в България катетърни аблации на сърдечни аритмии във всички електрофизиологични лаборатории. Досега са публикувани данните за три последователни години [1,2]. Регистърът осигурява пълна и точна информация за действащите съобразно изискванията на Националната здравноосигурителна каса (НЗОК) електрофизиологични центрове със сертифицирани електрофизиолози и извършените в тях катетърни аблации и електрофизиологични изследвания, и позволява да се проследи ежегодната динамика на вида и броя на електрофизиологичните процедури в национален мащаб.…”

“…Подробности относно създаването и начина на работа с регистъра са изложени в предишна публикация [1]. Регистърът отчита всички инвазивни електрофизиологични процедури (диагностични и аблационни), осъществени според изискванията на НЗОК.…”

“…Представени са разпределение на пациентите по пол и възраст, общ брой процедури, брой и относителен дял на електрофизиологичните изследвания, брой и относителен дял на аблациите, брой и относителен дял на педиатричните аблации, относителен дял на радиофреквентните аблации, на ириги-I Summarized data from the national electronic registry BG-EPHY (the abbreviation stands for BulGarian ElectroPHYsiology) has been published for the catheter ablations of cardiac arrhythmias performed at all electrophysiology centers in Bulgaria. So far, the data has been published for th ree consecutive years [1,2]. The registry provides complete and accurate information on the EP centers staff ed with certifi ed electrophysiologists operating in accordance with the requirements of the National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF), catheter ablations and EP studies performed, and allows to trace the annual dynamics of the type and number of EP procedures on a national scale.…”

“…Details on the creation and operation of the registry have been described in a previous publication [1]. The registry encompasses all invasive EP procedures (diagnostic studies and ablations), performed according to the requirements of NHIF.…”