High-Power Short-Duration Ablation of Paroxysmal and Persistent Atrial Fibrillation

Abstract

Catheter ablation has become a cornerstone in atrial fibrillation (AF) therapy, improving freedom from all-atrial arrhythmias, as well as outperforming antiarrhythmic drugs in alleviating AF-related symptoms, reducing hospitalizations, and enhancing quality of life. Nevertheless, the success rate of traditional radiofrequency ablation (RFA) methods remains less than ideal. To address these issues, refinement in RFA strategies has been developed to improve efficacy and laboratory efficiency during pulmonary vein isolation (PVI). High-power short-duration (HPSD) RFA has emerged as a safe strategy to reduce the time required to produce durable lesions. This article reviews critical aspects of HPSD ablation in the management of both paroxysmal and persistent AF, covering aspects such as effectiveness, safety, procedural intricacies, and the underlying biophysics.

Keywords

• atrial fibrillation
• pulmonary vein isolation
• high-power short-duration
• radiofrequency ablation
• ablation techniques