Freedom from atrial tachyarrhythmias after catheter ablation of atrial fibrillation: a randomized comparison between 2 current ablation strategies.
BACKGROUND
Data on the comparative value of the circumferential pulmonary vein and the segmental pulmonary vein ablation for interventional treatment of atrial fibrillation are limited. We hypothesized that the circumferential pulmonary vein ablation approach was superior to the segmental pulmonary vein ablation approach.


RESULTS
One hundred patients with highly symptomatic atrial fibrillation were randomly assigned to undergo either circumferential (n=50) or segmental pulmonary vein ablation (n=50). Freedom from atrial tachyarrhythmias in a 7-day Holter monitoring at 6 months was the primary end point. Secondary end points were freedom of arrhythmia-related symptoms and a composite of pericardial tamponade, thromboembolic complications, and pulmonary vein stenosis (safety end point). On the basis of the results of the 7-day Holter monitoring at 6 months, 21 patients (42%) after circumferential pulmonary vein ablation and 33 patients (66%) after segmental pulmonary vein ablation (P=0.02) were free of atrial tachyarrhythmia episodes. During the 6-month follow-up period, 27 patients (54%) after circumferential pulmonary vein ablation and 41 patients (82%) after segmental pulmonary vein ablation remained free of arrhythmia-related symptoms (P<0.01). No significant difference was found in the safety end point (6 versus 7 events; P=0.77) in the circumferential versus segmental pulmonary vein ablation group, respectively.


CONCLUSIONS
This study demonstrates no superiority of the circumferential pulmonary vein ablation over segmental pulmonary vein ablation for treatment of atrial fibrillation in terms of efficacy and safety.
Karch
Martin R
MR
Deutsches Herzzentrum, der Technischen Universität München, Munich, Germany.
Zrenner
Bernhard
B
Deisenhofer
Isabel
I
Schreieck
Jürgen
J
Ndrepepa
Gjin
G
Dong
Jun
J
Lamprecht
Katrin
K
Barthel
Petra
P
Luciani
Etienne
E
Schömig
Albert
A
Schmitt
Claus
C
D000368:Aged; D001281:Atrial Fibrillation / Q000150:complications / Q000628:therapy*; D018780:Body Surface Potential Mapping; D002305:Cardiac Tamponade / Q000209:etiology; D017115:Catheter Ablation / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods* / Q000592:standards; D003251:Constriction, Pathologic / Q000209:etiology; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006493:Heparin / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008722:Methods; D008875:Middle Aged; D011667:Pulmonary Veins / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D013612:Tachycardia, Ectopic Atrial / Q000150:complications / Q000517:prevention & control*; D013923:Thromboembolism / Q000209:etiology
D006493:Heparin