title: Persistent atrial fibrillation converts to common type atrial flutter during CFAE ablation.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Catheter ablation of persistent and long-standing persistent atrial fibrillation (AF) is still challenging. So far different ablation techniques have been reported, including pulmonary vein isolation, additional linear lesions, ablation of complex fractionated atrial electrograms (CFAE), and combinations of these techniques. During ablation of CFAE, the occurrence of left atrial (LA) tachycardia is well known. The occurrence of right atrial flutter on the other hand is less well described.
  
  
  METHODS
  Here, we report three patients who had been ablated because of symptomatic persistent atrial fibrillation.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In all patients, AF changed into a cavotricuspid isthmus = dependent right atrial flutter during ablation of CFAE in the LA.
authors.affiliation: IV. Medizinische Klinik des Staedtischen Klinikums, Karlsruhe, Germany. luik@klinikum-karlsruhe.de
authors.forename: Armin
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Luik
authors.forename: Matthias
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Merkel
authors.forename: Tobias
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Riexinger
authors.forename: Rainer
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Wondraschek
authors.forename: Claus
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Schmitt
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001281:Atrial Fibrillation / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery*; D001282:Atrial Flutter / Q000503:physiopathology*; D017115:Catheter Ablation / Q000379:methods*; D004562:Electrocardiography; D022062:Electrophysiologic Techniques, Cardiac; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged