A surgical epicardial approach to mapping and ablation in large animal models

Large animal surgeries are the standard for validating pre-clinical electrophysiology studies, and serve as an important step for the rationale underlying clinical trials. Although electrophysiologists receive extensive training in catheter-based approaches, few medical centers have the capability to perform experimental animal surgeries in large animals. Here, we present a step-by-step guide to performing an epicardial approach to pacing and sensing in a large animal sheep model, with the goal of enabling a wide variety of pacing and ablation options.