Persistent atrial fibrillation converts to common type atrial flutter during CFAE ablation.
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.
Luik
Armin
A
IV. Medizinische Klinik des Staedtischen Klinikums, Karlsruhe, Germany. luik@klinikum-karlsruhe.de
Merkel
Matthias
M
Riexinger
Tobias
T
Wondraschek
Rainer
R
Schmitt
Claus
C
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