title: [Chronic outcome of patients with nonparoxysmal atrial fibrillation underwent CARTO-guided stepwise ablation].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the efficacy of CARTO-guided stepwise ablation approaches for treatment of patients with nonparoxysmal atrial fibrillation(AF).
  
  
  METHODS
  Stepwise ablation approaches were performed in 40 patients with nonparoxysmal atrial fibrillation. Pulmonary vein atrium isolation (PVAI), linear ablation in atria, complex fractionated atrial electrograms (CFAEs) ablation and cardioversion were applied sequentially till sinus rhythm (SR) restoration. All patients were followed up 6 to 18 months.
  
  
  RESULTS
  SR was restored in 11 patients after PVAI, in 11 patients after linear ablation and in 6 patients after CFEAs ablation. SR was restored in the remaining 13 patients post cardioversion. During follow-up, 3 atrial fibrillation, 3 atrial tachycardia and 5 atrial flutter were evidenced. Seven out of the 11 patients with reoccurred arrhythmia were treated only by PVAI.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  CARTO-guided stepwise ablation approaches are safe and effective in the treatment of patients with nonparoxysmal atrial fibrillation. PVAI approach was associated with lower successful rate and high recurrence rate.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Xinhua Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200092, China.
authors.forename: Xiang-fei
authors.initials: XF
authors.lastname: Feng
authors.forename: Yi-gang
authors.initials: YG
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Qun-shan
authors.initials: QS
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Jian
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.forename: Shang-biao
authors.initials: SB
authors.lastname: Lu
authors.forename: Qiu-fen
authors.initials: QF
authors.lastname: Lu
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D001281:Atrial Fibrillation / Q000601:surgery; D017115:Catheter Ablation / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012008:Recurrence; D016896:Treatment Outcome