ESOPHAGEAL BALLOON ELECTRODE CATHETER FOR TRANSTHORACIC RECORDING OF HIS-BUNDLE POTENTIAL WITH TRANSESOPHAGEAL ATRIAL-PACING

To evaluate the influence of transesophageal atrial pacing of the tran sthoracic His potential identification, we combined signal-averaged EC G with transesophageal atrial pacing with low threshold for pacing ave raging ECG recording. A tripolar 10 French esophageal balloon electrod e catheter, with one cylindrical electrode on the tip of the catheter and two balloon electrodes on the cardiac side of the catheter, used i n 53 patients, allowed a painless transesophageal atrial pacing and a high signal to noise distance in the signal-averaged ECG. Transesophag eal atrial pacing allowed in 37 of 53 patients an identification of Hi s potential by increasing the distance between the end of the atrial p otential and the onset of the His potential in the pacing averaging EC G. The esophageal balloon electrode catheter allowed a painless transe sophageal atrial pacing with low threshold for atrial capture during a long pacing time and a high signal to noise distance in the pacing av eraging ECG. The increasing of the heart rate with transesophageal atr ial pacing allowed the transthoracic identification of the His potenti al in the pacing averaging ECG.