title: Long Term Follow-up of Pulmonary Vein Isolation Using Cryoballoon Ablation.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Cryoballoon ablation is an established catheter-based approach to treating atrial fibrillation (AF). There is little data regarding the long-term efficacy of this approach.
  
  
  METHODS
  We enrolled 200 consecutive patients with symptomatic AF who had failed therapy with at least one anti-arrhythmic medication and followed them for five years. The primary efficacy endpoint was symptomatic recurrence of AF after a single cryoballoon ablation procedure.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Two hundred patients formed the study group. Median follow-up was 56 months. Following a single procedure, 46.7% of patients with paroxysmal AF remained free of symptomatic recurrence of AF compared to 35.6% of patients with persistent AF. When allowing for repeat ablations, at the end of the follow-up period 53.3% of patients in the paroxysmal group remained free of symptomatic AF compared to 47.5% in the persistent group. The rate of complications was low.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Cryoballoon ablation is an effective catheter-based approach for treating symptomatic AF with a low risk of complications.
authors.affiliation: Cardiovascular Department, John Hunter Hospital, Newcastle, NSW, Australia.
authors.forename: Allan J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Davies
authors.affiliation: Toronto General Hospital, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
authors.forename: Nick
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Jackson
authors.affiliation: Cardiovascular Department, John Hunter Hospital, Newcastle, NSW, Australia. Electronic address: Malcolm.Barlow@hnehealth.nsw.gov.au.
authors.forename: Malcolm
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Barlow
authors.affiliation: Cardiovascular Department, John Hunter Hospital, Newcastle, NSW, Australia.
authors.forename: James
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Leitch
mesh_terms: D001281:Atrial Fibrillation / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000601:surgery*; D017115:Catheter Ablation; D003452:Cryosurgery; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011667:Pulmonary Veins / Q000601:surgery*; D012008:Recurrence; D012307:Risk Factors; D013997:Time Factors
keywords: Atrial fibrillation; Cryoballoon ablation