ABSTRACT
Transseptal technology was relatively stagnant for the first 20 years after its introduction. In 1979, Mullins introduced a dilator and sheath combination that provided a platform for advancement of a variety of catheters into the left atrium (LA), and enhanced the safety of the procedure overall (11). The primary tools for left atrial access have remained the Mullins sheath, along with the Brockenbrough needle, a combination with origins 30 and 50 years old, respectively. More recently, however, with increasing utilization of transseptal puncture, a number of novel technologies have appeared, and will be discussed later in this chapter (12).
