Pericardial access via wire-guided puncture without contrast: The feasibility and safety of a modified approach

Objective To investigate the feasibility and safety of wire-guided pericardial access without contrast. Methods From January 2014 to February 2019, patients who received epicardial mapping and ablation of ventricular tachycardia in the Beijing Anzhen Hospital were entered into the current study. They were divided into contrast-guided access group or wire-guided access group according to the pericardial puncture technique used. The baseline variables, procedure parameters, complications were collected and compared. Results During the study period, a consecutive of 73 patients received epicardial access. The initial 32 patients received contrast-guided puncture with success achieved in 30 patients, the remaining 41 patients underwent wire-guided puncture with success achieved in 40 patients (30/32 and 40/41, P = .581). Fluoroscopy time (4.45 +/- 0.52 and 4.38 +/- 0.46 minutes, P = .891) and access time (5.14 +/- 0.58 and 5.34 +/- 0.50 minutes, P = .657) were comparable between the two groups. Inadvertent right ventricular puncture occurred more commonly in the contrast-guided group (5/32 and 1/41, P = .038). Though more pericardial effusions (2/32 and 1/41, P = .575), tamponade (2/32 and 1/41, P = .575), and surgical repair (1/32 and 0/41, P = .432) occurred in the contrast-guided group, they reached no statistical difference. Conclusion Wire-guided pericardial puncture exhibits better safety and similar success rates to contrast-guided technique with a trend towards less complications.