title: [Internal atrial defibrillation after failure of attempted pharmacological and electrical cardioversion. Mid- and long-term outcome].
abstract: Cardioversion of atrial fibrillation by an endocavitary electrical shock was first proposed during the 1980s. The authors studied the efficacy of this technique at short and medium term in a population of 36 patients (28 men and 8 women) in whom atrial fibrillation persisted despite attempts to reduce it by antiarrhythmic drugs and external electrical cardioversion. The immediate success rate was high : 34 out of 36 patients (94%) and, at medium term, the number with sinus rhythm was comparable to that of studies evaluating the medium-term efficacy of external electrical cardioversion; 19 out of 33 patients (57%) were in sinus rhythm at 6 months and 9 out of 27 patients (33%) at 12 months. These results seem to justify attempts at internal atrial defibrillation in patients in whom the other two techniques of cardioversion have failed. Its use as the method of first intention could be proposed if the profile of "resistant" patients to classical techniques was known, which is unfortunately not presently the case.
authors.affiliation: Département de cardiologie, CHU de la Cavale Blanche, Brest.
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Larlet
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Mansourati
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Verdun
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Guillo
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Maheu
authors.forename: J J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Blanc
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000889:Anti-Arrhythmia Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001281:Atrial Fibrillation / Q000628:therapy*; D004554:Electric Countershock / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012008:Recurrence; D012307:Risk Factors; D017211:Treatment Failure; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000889:Anti-Arrhythmia Agents
vernacular_title: Défibrillation auriculaire par voie interne après échecs des tentatives de réductions pharmacologiques et électriques par voie externe. Résultats à moyen et long terme.