Same-day discharge after atrial fibrillation ablation.

Area of Science:

• Cardiology
• Electrophysiology
• Health Services Research

Background:

• Atrial fibrillation (AF) catheter ablation is a safe and effective AF management strategy.
• Same-day discharge (SDD) after AF ablation can reduce healthcare costs and improve patient experience.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the safety and patient satisfaction of SDD after contemporary AF ablation.

Main Methods:

• A prospective registry collected data on 1830 patients undergoing AF ablation from 1/2020 to 10/2021.
• Patients were considered for SDD based on physician discretion and patient preference.
• Major complications, adverse events, and re-admissions were adjudicated at 90, 30, and 30 days, respectively.

Main Results:

• Of 1830 patients, 350 (19%) were discharged the same day (SDD group).
• After propensity score matching, SDD was linked to fewer major complications and higher patient satisfaction.
• Most severe complications occurred within 6 hours post-procedure.

Conclusions:

• Same-day discharge (SDD) following contemporary AF ablation is feasible and safe.
• The proposed SDD pathway and criteria are associated with improved patient satisfaction.
• SDD is a viable strategy for optimizing AF ablation management.