Abstract
Previous studies have underscored the importance of the interpulmonary isthmus in the initiation and maintenance of atrial fibrillation (AF). The efficacy of additional radiofrequency energy delivery in the interpulmonary isthmus following pulmonary vein antral isolation (PVAI) was investigated. A total of 76 patients (49 males, mean age 56.8 ± 10.3) with drug-resistant paroxysmal (n = 64) and short-lasting persistent AF (n = 12) underwent PVAI. Patients were then randomly assigned to receive either "no further ablation" (group I, n = 38) or additional lesions in the interpulmonary isthmus of both ipsilateral pulmonary veins (group II, n = 38). There were no significant differences between study groups regarding the clinical and echocardiographic data. A trend towards a longer fluoroscopy time was observed in group II (P = 0.076). After a mean follow-up period of 11.1 ± 2.6 months, 22 patients in group I (57.9%) and 25 patients in group II (65.8%) were free from arrhythmia recurrence without any antiarrhythmic drug treatment after a single ablation procedure. The Kaplan-Meier arrhythmia-free survival curves showed no significant differences between study groups (P = 0.460). Additional lesions in the interpulmonary isthmus following PVAI do not have incremental value in preventing AF recurrence.
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
