Radiofrequency ablation for the treatment of atrial fibrillation--brief report update

Considerable advances have been made in both the understanding of and the curative treatment for atrial arrhythmias over the last decade. Radiofrequency ablation of typical right atrial flutter and focal atrial tachycardia using standard catheters is commonplace and is associated with success rates of over 95%. Recently developed 3-D mapping systems have furthered our understanding of the complex circuits responsible for atypical atrial flutters within the right and left atrium and successful ablation of these previously incurable arrhythmias is now routinely achieved. With the seminal discovery of pulmonary vein triggers and fixed left atrial circuits that are critical for the genesis and perpetuation of atrial fibrillation, ablation techniques have been developed which are associated with cure rates of over 75% for both paroxysmal and persistent forms of atrial fibrillation.