title: Catheter ablation for atrial fibrillation: results from the first European Snapshot Survey on Procedural Routines for Atrial Fibrillation Ablation (ESS-PRAFA) Part II.
abstract: The European Snapshot Survey on Procedural Routines in Atrial Fibrillation Ablation (ESS-PRAFA) is a prospective, multicentre snapshot survey collecting patient-based data on current clinical practices during atrial fibrillation (AF) ablation. The participating centres were asked to prospectively enrol consecutive patients during a 6-week period (from September to October 2014). A web-based case report form was employed to collect information of patients and data of procedures. A total of 455 eligible consecutive patients from 13 countries were enrolled (mean age 59 ± 10.8 years, 28.8% women). Distinct strategies and endpoints were collected for AF ablation procedures. Pulmonary vein isolation (PVI) was performed in 96.7% and served as the endpoint in 91.3% of procedures. A total of 52 (11.5%) patients underwent ablation as first-line therapy. The cryoballoon technique was employed in 31.4% of procedures. Procedure, ablation, and fluoroscopy times differed among various types of AF ablation. Divergences in patient selection and complications were observed among low-, medium-, and high-volume centres. Adverse events were observed in 4.6% of AF ablation procedures. In conclusion, PVI was still the main strategy for AF ablation. Procedure-related complications seemed not to have declined. The centre volume played an important role in patient selection, strategy choice, and had impact on the rate of periprocedural complication.
authors.affiliation: Department of Heart Disease, Haukeland University Hospital, N-5021 Bergen, Norway Department of Clinical Science, University of Bergen, N-5021 Bergen, Norway jian.chen@med.uib.no.
authors.forename: Jian
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Second Cardiology Department, Attikon University Hospital, University of Athens, Athens, Greece.
authors.forename: Nikolaos
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Dagres
authors.affiliation: Hôpital Cardiologique du Haut Lévêque Université Victor Segalen Bordeaux II, Bordeaux 33604 Pessac, France.
authors.forename: Melece
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hocini
authors.affiliation: Service de Cardiologie, Faculté de Médecine, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Trousseau, Université François Rabelais, Tours 37044, France.
authors.forename: Laurent
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Fauchier
authors.affiliation: Second Cardiology Department, University Hospital of Pisa, Pisa, Italy.
authors.forename: Maria Grazia
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Bongiorni
authors.affiliation: Arrhythmia Department, University Hospital, 38043 Grenoble, France.
authors.forename: Pascal
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Defaye
authors.affiliation: Cardiology Department, Ramon y Cajal Hospital, Alcalá University, Carretera Colmenar Viejo, 28034 Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hernandez-Madrid
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology Medizinische Klinik und Poliklinik I, LMU Klinikum der Universität München, Munich, Germany.
authors.forename: Heidi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Estner
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Institution of Medical Science, Uppsala University, 75185 Uppsala, Sweden.
authors.forename: Elena
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Sciaraffia
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Institution of Medical Science, Uppsala University, 75185 Uppsala, Sweden.
authors.forename: Carina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Blomström-Lundqvist
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D001281:Atrial Fibrillation / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery*; D017115:Catheter Ablation / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods*; D003452:Cryosurgery / Q000009:adverse effects; D005060:Europe; D005260:Female; D005471:Fluoroscopy; D019538:Health Care Surveys; D061847:Hospitals, High-Volume; D061846:Hospitals, Low-Volume; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D061646:Operative Time; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000209:etiology; D010818:Practice Patterns, Physicians'; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011667:Pulmonary Veins / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome
keywords: Atrial fibrillation; Catheter ablation; Complication; Cryoballoon; Endpoint; Irrigated radiofrequency catheter; Strategy; Survey