title: Catheter ablation therapy for atrial fibrillation: current advancements in strategies.
abstract: Curing atrial fibrillation (AF) by catheter ablation has significantly improved patient morbidity and mortality. The circumferential pulmonary vein isolation technique is established as the principal procedure, with a high cure rate and acceptable safety, for paroxysmal AF, but new adjunctive ablation strategies targeting the AF substrates and sources for long-standing persistent/chronic AF have been developed. These new techniques include linear ablation, complex fractionated atrial electrogram guided ablation, dominant frequency map-guided ablation, ganglionated plexi ablation and disconnection of the coronary sinus and superior vena cava to ablate the AF substrates and sources. The long-term usefulness of the established technique and these innovative adjunctive approaches for the treatment of AF remains to be investigated.
authors.affiliation: Cardiology Division, Cardiovascular Center, Tsuchiura Kyodo Hospital, Tsuchiura, Japan. iesaka@mtg.biglobe.ne.jp
authors.forename: Yoshito
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Iesaka
authors.forename: Kiyoshi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Otomo
authors.forename: Yasutoshi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Nagata
authors.forename: Kikuya
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Uno
mesh_terms: D001281:Atrial Fibrillation / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery*; D017115:Catheter Ablation / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods*; D054326:Coronary Sinus / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery; D022062:Electrophysiologic Techniques, Cardiac; D006801:Humans; D011667:Pulmonary Veins / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014683:Vena Cava, Superior / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery