DIAGNOSTIC AND THERAPEUTIC APPLICATIONS O F THE ESOPHAGEAL ROUTE IN RHYTHMOLOGY

The oesophageal route is a simple technique, which is easy to perform. It allows precise assessment of supraventricular arrhythmias without using the endocavitary route. There is a perfect correlation between t he two methods for the study of sinus function and the Wenckebach poin t. This technique makes a considerable contribution to the diagnosis o f junctional tachycardia and the evaluation of Wolff-Parkinson-White s yndrome. it can reduce approximately 65% of flutters and 50% of atrial tachyarrythmias. It can also be used to monitor antiarrhythmic treatm ent or in the assessment of radiofrequency resection, especially in no dal tachycardias and left atrioventricular accessory pathways. Its lim itations concern the sometimes painful nature of the investigation and the impossibility of recording the electrical activity of the His bun dle.