Tilz RR et al. Impact of pulmonary vein anatomy assessed by cardiac magnetic resonance imaging on endo-scopic pulmonary vein isolation in consecutive patients. Impact of pharmacological autonomic blockade on complex fractionated atrial electrograms. A et al. Prospective assessment of late conduction recurrence across radiofrequency lesions producing electrical disconnection at the pulmonary vei...

Introduction Catheter ablation plays an important role in the management of persistent atrial fibrillation (AF), though recurrences of AF following ablation in patients with this condition remains high. There is general agreement that catheter ablation for AF should include pulmonary vein antral isolation (PVAI). The location and extent of ablation that should be performed beyond PVAI for the m...

A case is reported of a 35 year old man with atrial parasystolic trigeminy. The patient presented with a 10 year history of sustained supraventricular extrasystole causing symptoms leading to several hospitalisations and continuous unemployment. He had been treated ineffectively with several drug combinations. Radiofrequency catheter ablation of a right atrial focus completely suppressed the ec...

BACKGROUND The junction between the coronary sinus (CS) musculature and both atria contributes to initiation of atrial tachyarrhythmias. The current study investigated the effects of CS isolation from the atria by radiofrequency catheter ablation on the induction and maintenance of atrial fibrillation (AF). METHODS AND RESULTS Using an optical mapping system, we mapped action potentials at 25...

BACKGROUND MRI-detected brain lesions are common after left atrial catheter ablation for symptomatic atrial fibrillation. The clinical relevance of these acute ischemic lesions is not fully understood, but ablation-related cerebral injury could contribute to cognitive dysfunction. METHODS AND RESULTS In the prospective Mesh Ablator versus Cryoballoon Pulmonary Vein Ablation of Symptomatic Par...

Atrial fibrillation is the most common arrhythmia, with an increasing prevalence at higher age. Besides symptoms that affect quality of life, there is a significant risk of thromboembolic complications, heart failure and death. Different therapeutic options are proposed. Results of pharmacological treatment are often disappointing. Adverse side effects of antiarrhythmic medication are considera...

PURPOSE OF REVIEW The optimal treatments for atrial fibrillation have long been sought among rhythm control and rate control strategies. Unfortunately, rhythm control strategies with antiarrhythmic drugs have proven to be a disappointment. Catheter ablation techniques, however, have been rapidly advancing and have the potential to offer a permanent cure. Rhythm control with catheter ablation ma...

A 74-year-old male suffering from congestive heart failure with atrial tachycardia (AT) with 2 : 1 atrioventricular conduction was admitted to our hospital. After the therapy with diuretics and β-blocker, his rapid AT was still sustained. He took the catheter ablation for his AT. Postpacing interval mapping from entrainment and noncontact mapping system revealed the mechanism of his AT, origina...

Background Left atrial (LA) wall fibrosis has been demonstrated to play a major role in the pathogenesis and treatment response of atrial fibrillation (AF). The DECAAF study demonstrated that quantification of LA fibrosis by delayed-enhancement MRI (DE-MRI) predicts outcomes after AF catheter ablation. Currently, a number of catheter ablation methods targeting specific regions of the LA are use...