Snapshot of adult invasive cardiac electrophysiology in Canada: results of the web-based registry

PurposeInterventional cardiac electrophysiology (EP) has experienced a significant growth in Canada. Our aim is to establish a periodic registry as a nationwide initiative.MethodsThe registry is designed to collect information regarding EP laboratory infrastructure, human resources, and the spectrum and volumes of EP procedures. Respective administrative staff were contacted electronically.ResultsOut of 25 identified Canadian EP centers, 19 centers (76 %) have participated in the registry. Responding centers have access on average to 5.3 lab days per week to perform EP studies/ablations; average lab time per full- and part-time (prorated to 0.5) EP physician is 0.8 day per week. Diagnostic EP studies and radio-frequency ablations are performed in all (19) centers; cryoablation is available in 83 % of centers. Two centers have remote magnetic navigation systems. EnSite NavX is the most widely available 3D mapping system utilized in 15 (83 %) centers, followed by CARTO and intracardiac echo which are each available in 14 (78 %) centers; LocaLisa is actively used in one center. The number of full-time physicians ranges between 0 and 7, with a mean of 3.5 full-time physicians per center. The ratio of staff to trainees is 1.6:1. A total of 8,041 EP procedures are performed in the 19 centers per annum. On an annual average, 104 procedures per one operator and 159 procedures per trainee are performed.ConclusionsThis registry provides contemporary information on invasive EP lab resources and procedures in Canada. It also demonstrates that Canadian EP procedural intensities of practice and training are comparable to international standards.