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Updated: Apr 14, 2026

Catheter Ablation in Combination With Left Atrial Appendage Closure for Atrial Fibrillation
Published on: February 26, 2013
Radiofrequency catheter ablation for atrial fibrillation
Lauren Dorn1, Adeline Kranzburg, Amy Saumell
1Lauren Dorn practices in orthopedic spine surgery at LewisGale Physicians-The Spine Center in Salem, Va. Adeline Kranzburg practices in the medical, surgical, and neurologic ICUs at Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center in Winston-Salem, N.C. Amy Saumell practices dermatology at Judith Crowell, MD, and Associates in Miami, Fla. Tanya Gregory and Suzanne Reich are assistant professors at Wake Forest School of Medicine. The authors have disclosed no potential conflicts of interest, financial or otherwise.
Abstract:
Antiarrhythmic drugs are the first-line treatment for atrial fibrillation (AF); as a result, catheter ablation usually is not considered until a patient is experiencing symptomatic AF refractory to at least one antiarrhythmic medication or is intolerant to medical therapy. For these patients, catheter ablation is shown to be more effective than medical therapy for controlling AF. This article reviews catheter ablation and its indications.
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