Characteristics and outcome in patients receiving multiple (more than two) catheter ablation procedures for paroxysmal atrial fibrillation.
BACKGROUND
The features of multiple catheter ablation procedures for paroxysmal atrial fibrillation (AF) are unknown. We aimed to investigate the electrophysiologic characteristics and the clinical outcomes in the patients with AF who received more than two ablation procedures.


METHODS
The study consisted of 15 consecutive patients (age 48 +/- 14 years, 10 males) who had undergone three to five (3.3 +/- 0.6) catheter ablation procedures for recurrent paroxysmal AF.


RESULTS
Ten patients had pulmonary vein (PV)-AF and one had AF originating from both PVs and the superior vena cava (SVC) in the first ablation procedure. All of them exhibited PV reconnection during the recurrent episodes. Four of the 15 patients had AF originating from non-PV foci (three from the SVC, one from the crista terminalis) in the first procedure, and two had AF recurrences due to recovered conduction from the SVC. In all patients with PV-AF recurrences, repeated PV isolation procedures could effectively eliminate the AF. The incidence of the need for additional LA linear ablation lesions was higher comparing between the first procedure and in the following ablation procedures (18% vs. 71%, P = 0.02). During a follow-up of 1.7 +/- 1.1 years, 73% of the patients remained in sinus rhythm without any antiarrhythmic drugs after the final procedure.


CONCLUSIONS
Recovered PV connection was the major cause of the AF recurrences despite undergoing multiple catheter ablation procedures. It is advisable to inspect all PVs during the AF recurrence. Repeated PV isolation plus left atrial linear ablations could effectively eliminate the AF with satisfactory outcomes.
Lo
Li-Wei
LW
Division of Cardiology, Department of Medicine, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan.
Tai
Ching-Tai
CT
Lin
Yenn-Jiang
YJ
Chang
Shih-Lin
SL
Wongcharoen
Wanwarang
W
Hsieh
Ming-Hsiung
MH
Tuan
Ta-Chuan
TC
Udyavar
Ameya R
AR
Hu
Yu-Feng
YF
Chen
Yi-Jen
YJ
Chiang
Shuo-Ju
SJ
Tsao
Hsuan-Ming
HM
Chen
Shih-Ann
SA
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001281:Atrial Fibrillation / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000628:therapy*; D017115:Catheter Ablation / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000639:trends*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011667:Pulmonary Veins / Q000502:physiology; D016896:Treatment Outcome