scholarly journals Pursuing Sinus Rhythm in Patients With Persistent Atrial Fibrillation

2009 ◽  
Vol 54 (9) ◽  
pp. 796-798 ◽  
Author(s):  
David J. Wilber
2013 ◽  
Vol 106 (10) ◽  
pp. 501-510 ◽  
Author(s):  
Frederic A. Sebag ◽  
Najia Chaachoui ◽  
Nick W. Linton ◽  
Sana Amraoui ◽  
James Harrison ◽  
...  

Author(s):  
Andy C. Kiser ◽  
Mark D. Landers ◽  
Ker Boyce ◽  
Matjaž šinkovec ◽  
Andrej Pernat ◽  
...  

Objective Transmural and contiguous ablations and a comprehensive lesion pattern are difficult to create from the surface of a beating heart but are critical to the successful treatment of persistent, isolated atrial fibrillation. A codisciplinary simultaneous epicardial (surgical) and endocardial (catheter) procedure (Convergent procedure) addresses these issues. Methods Patients with symptomatic atrial fibrillation who failed medical treatment were evaluated. Using only pericardioscopy, the surgeon performed near-complete epicardial isolation of the pulmonary veins and a “box” lesion on the posterior left atrium using unipolar radiofrequency ablation. Simultaneous endocardial catheter radiofrequency ablation completed pulmonary vein isolation, performed a mitral annular and cavotricuspid isthmus line of block, and debulked the coronary sinus. Twelve-month results for the Convergent procedure were compared with 12-month results for concomitant and pericardioscopic (stand-alone transdiaphragmatic/thoracoscopic) atrial fibrillation procedures using unipolar radiofrequency ablation. Results Sixty-five patients underwent the Convergent procedure (mean age, 62 y; mean body surface area, 2.17 m2; mean atrial fibrillation duration, 4.8 y; mean left atrial size, 5.2 cm). Ninety-two percent were in persistent or long-standing persistent atrial fibrillation. At 12 months, evaluation with 24-hour Holter monitors found 82% of patients in sinus rhythm, while only 47% of pericardioscopic and 77% of concomitant patients treated with unipolar radiofrequency ablation were in sinus rhythm. Conclusions Simultaneous epicardial and endocardial ablation improves outcomes for patients with persistent or longstanding persistent atrial fibrillation. This successful collaboration between cardiac surgeon and electrophysiologist is an important treatment option for patients with large left atriums and chronic atrial fibrillation.


EP Europace ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 23 (Supplement_3) ◽  
Author(s):  
ANL Hermans ◽  
NAHA Pluymaekers ◽  
TAR Lankveld ◽  
MJW Van Mourik ◽  
S Zeemering ◽  
...  

Abstract Funding Acknowledgements Type of funding sources: None. Background. Knowledge about the association between symptoms and rhythm status (symptom-rhythm correlation) has potential clinical implications as it may identify patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) who profit from rhythm control in regard to reduction in symptom burden and improvement in quality of life. However, standardized strategies to assess symptom-rhythm correlation in AF patients are currently not available. Purpose. This study aimed to assess symptom-rhythm correlation in patients with persistent AF using electrical cardioversion (ECV) as a diagnostic probe. Methods. We used ECV to examine symptom-rhythm correlation in 81 patients with persistent AF. The presence of self-reported symptoms before ECV and at the first outpatient AF clinic follow-up visit (within 1-month) was assessed to determine the prevalence of a symptom-rhythm correlation (defined as self-reported symptoms present during AF and absent in sinus rhythm or absent in AF and yet relief during sinus rhythm). The symptom-rhythm correlation was absent in patients with symptoms before ECV who remained symptomatic during sinus or in patients with symptoms prior to ECV and without symptoms in AF after ECV. Asymptomatic patients before ECV with or without symptoms in AF or sinus rhythm afterwards had no symptom-rhythm correlation as well. The symptom-rhythm correlation was unevaluable in patients who were symptomatic in AF before ECV and at the first outpatient AF clinic follow-up visit. In addition, predominant self-reported symptoms (symptoms with highest self-reported symptom burden) were assessed to evaluate the symptom patterns around ECV. Intra-individually variable symptom patterns were defined as changes in predominant self-reported symptoms within patients around ECV. Results. Symptom-rhythm correlation was assessed in all patients. Only in 18 patients (22%), a symptom-rhythm correlation could be documented. Twenty-eight patients (35%) did not show any symptom-rhythm correlation and 35 patients (43%) had an unevaluable symptom-rhythm correlation as these patients were in symptomatic AF both at baseline and at the first outpatient AF clinic follow-up visit. Importantly, self-reported symptom patterns around ECV were intra-individually variable in 10 patients (12%) without symptom-rhythm correlation (of which 9 patients (11%) had AF recurrence) and in 2 patients (2%) with an unevaluable symptom-rhythm correlation. Conclusions. In patients with persistent AF, the prevalence of a symptom-rhythm correlation around ECV is low, but ECV often changes symptom pattern. Further studies are warranted to identify more optimal strategies to assess symptom-rhythm correlation in patients with persistent AF. Abstract Figure. Symptom-rhythm correlation and patterns


EP Europace ◽  
2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mark M Gallagher ◽  
Gang Yi ◽  
Hanney Gonna ◽  
Lisa W M Leung ◽  
Idris Harding ◽  
...  

Abstract Aims Restoring sinus rhythm (SR) by ablation alone is an endpoint used in radiofrequency (RF) ablation for long-standing persistent atrial fibrillation (AF) but not with cryotherapy. The simultaneous use of two cryotherapy catheters can improve ablation efficiency; we compared this with RF ablation in chronic persistent AF aiming for termination to SR by ablation alone. Methods and results Consecutive patients undergoing their first ablation for persistent AF of >6 months duration were screened. A total of 100 participants were randomized 1:1 to multi-catheter cryotherapy or RF. For cryotherapy, a 28-mm Arctic Front Advance was used in tandem with focal cryoablation catheters. Open-irrigated, non-force sensing catheters were used in the RF group with a 3D mapping system. Pulmonary vein (PV) isolation and non-PV triggers were targeted. Participants were followed up at 6 and 12 months, then yearly. Acute PVI was achieved in all cases. More patients in the multi-catheter cryotherapy group were restored to SR by ablation alone, with a shorter procedure duration. Sinus rhythm continued to the last available follow-up in 16/49 patients (33%) in the multi-catheter at 3.0 ± 1.6 years post-ablation and in 12/50 patients (24%) in the RF group at 4.0 ± 1.2 years post-ablation. The yearly rate of arrhythmia recurrence was similar. Conclusion Multi-catheter cryotherapy can restore SR by ablation alone in more cases and more quickly than RF ablation. Long-term success is difficult to achieve by either methods and is similar with both.


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