Catheter ablation for the treatment of paroxymal atrial fibrillation

Objective This study was aimed at evaluating the effectiveness and safety of the treatment of atrial fibrillation (AF) by catheter ablation (CA). Methods CA was applied in 40 patients with drug-refractory paroxysmal atrial fibrillation (AF) from July 2002 to September 2004. The electrograms of high right atrium, coronary sinus, pulmonary veins were recorded simultaneously. Three different methods [segmental ablation of pulmonary vein (PV), isolation of PV guided by Carto system, isolation of PV by ultrasonic ballon ablation] were performed to disconnect the electrical activity of PV. Results Twenty-seven (67.5%) patients were free of AF, 3 (7.5%) patients gained partial success, and the ablation failed in 10 (25%) patients during the postablation follow-up period (3～18 months). Ablation guided by Carto system can reduce X-ray exposure. Complications occurred in 3 patients, one of them suffered pericardial tamponade and rescued by emergency treatment. Conclusions CA is a performable method for the treatment of AF and has effectiveness for most patients with AF.