Clinical Characteristics To Guide The Extent Of Ablation In Paroxysmal AF Patients: Discovering An Old Science

Abstract

The last decade has seen an unprecedented expansion in the tools, techniques and patients undergoing primary ablation of atrial fibrillation (AF). Initial series reported selected patients with high ectopy burden that allowed targeting of the arrhythmogenic sites [1-3]. However, with the expansion of the patient population undergoing treatment and the available strategies, our challenge remains identifying how much is enough for a given patient. While limited ablation may result in limited success, extensive ablation improves success rates, but potentially at the cost of greater complications.

Keywords

• atrial fibrillation
• atrial fibrillation burden
• pulmonary vein isolation
• catheter ablation