Abstract
The treatment of atrial fibrillation (AF) is one of the most vexing and frustrating problems in cardiology. It is the most common sustained cardiac arrhythmia and its prevalence is increasing [1,2], Even with treatment, AF is associated with considerable morbidity and mortality and is the most common cause of embolic stroke [3]. Recently, we have gained new insights into the mechanisms of AF that have made a significant impact on our approach to treatment. We now recognize that rapidly firing foci in the pulmonary veins play a critical role in the initiation and maintenance of AF [4]. Radiofrequency ablation (RFA) to electrically isolate these foci has become an increasingly popular new approach for the treatment of AF. In this chapter, we review the evolution of AF ablation, the methodology of pulmonary vein isolation for AF and the results of this new approach.
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© 2004 Springer-Verlag Italia
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Lee, B.K., Scheinman, M.M. (2004). Ablation of Atrial Fibrillation: Is a Cure at Hand?. In: Raviele, A. (eds) Cardiac Arrhythmias 2003. Springer, Milano. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-88-470-2137-2_21
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-88-470-2137-2_21
Publisher Name: Springer, Milano
Print ISBN: 978-88-470-2177-8
Online ISBN: 978-88-470-2137-2
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