EP Catheters: Definition, Uses, and Cardiac Monitoring

When physicians want to perform cardiac testing or procedures that require electronic monitoring of the heart, the most common choice is an EP (Electrophysiology) catheter.

Definition

• Electrophysiology is a medical branch related to the study of electrical activity within the body. Catheters are slim, bendable tubes used in medical procedures. Physicians pass catheters through veins, arteries or organs to more effectively monitor activity in various areas of the body.

Purpose

• EP catheter placement is done without surgery and the instruments are used to provide electrical pacing, recording, sensing, localization or mapping (Reference 1).

Ablation

• Cardiac ablation is a popular procedure in which physicians guide EP catheters through blood vessels into the heart to destroy diseased tissue (Reference 3).

Fun Fact

• EP Catheter tips contain platinum which leads recyclers to seek out and pay for used catheters in order to extract the valuable element. (Ref. #2)

Specialist

• Ablation procedures and EP catheter placement are performed by electrophysiologists, doctors who specialize in diagnosing and treating conditions related to improper heart rhythm.