title: Efficacy of additional ablation of complex fractionated atrial electrograms for catheter ablation of nonparoxysmal atrial fibrillation.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The efficacy of ablation of complex fractionated atrial electrograms (CFEs) in the single ablation procedure for nonparoxysmal atrial fibrillation (AF) patients is not well demonstrated. The aim of this study was to compare the ablation strategies of pulmonary vein isolation (PVI) plus linear ablation with and without additional ablation ofCFEs in these patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  Consecutive 60 patients (49 +/- 11 years old, 50 male, 10 female) with nonparoxysmal AF underwent catheter ablation guided by a NavX mapping system. A stepwise approach included a circumferential PVI and left atrial (LA) linear ablation followed by either the additional ablation of continuous CFEs in the LA/coronary sinus (the first 30 patients) or not (the second 30 patients), detected by an automatic algorithm.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There was no difference in the baseline characteristics between the two groups. Complete PVI eliminated some continuous CFEs and altered the distribution of CFEs. Following PVI and linear ablation,the remaining continuous CFEs were identified in 7.9 +/-10% mapping sites of the LA and CS, and were ablated successfully with a procedural AF termination rate of 53%. With a follow-up of 19 +/-11 months, a Kaplan-Meier analysis showed that the patients with additional ablation of the CFEs had a higher rate of sinus rhythm maintenance. Multivariate analysis showed the single procedure success could be predicted by the procedural AF termination and the additional ablation of continuous CFEs in the LA/CS.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Ablation of continuous CFEs after PVI and LA linear ablation had a better long-term efficacy based on the results of single-ablation procedure.
authors.affiliation: Division of Cardiology, Department of Medicine, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, 201 Sec. 2 Shih-Pai Road, Taipei, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Yenn-Jiang
authors.initials: YJ
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.forename: Ching-Tai
authors.initials: CT
authors.lastname: Tai
authors.forename: Shih-Lin
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.forename: Li-Wei
authors.initials: LW
authors.lastname: Lo
authors.forename: Ta-Chuan
authors.initials: TC
authors.lastname: Tuan
authors.forename: Wanwarang
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Wongcharoen
authors.forename: Ameya R
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Udyavar
authors.forename: Yu-Feng
authors.initials: YF
authors.lastname: Hu
authors.forename: Chien-Jung
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.forename: Wen-Chin
authors.initials: WC
authors.lastname: Tsai
authors.forename: Tsair
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kao
authors.forename: Satoshi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Higa
authors.forename: Shih-Ann
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Chen
mesh_terms: D001281:Atrial Fibrillation / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000601:surgery*; D018780:Body Surface Potential Mapping / Q000379:methods*; D017115:Catheter Ablation / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D025321:Surgery, Computer-Assisted / Q000379:methods*; D016896:Treatment Outcome