Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 12, 2026

Catheter Ablation in Combination With Left Atrial Appendage Closure for Atrial Fibrillation
Published on: February 26, 2013
Superior Vena Cava Approach for Farapulse Pulsed-Field Ablation in Patient with Paroxysmal Atrial Fibrillation: A
Qitong Zhang1, Linhua Kuang1,2, Xiaoyu Wu1
1Department of Cardiology, Shanghai General Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, No. 100, Haining Road, Shanghai 200080, China.
Insights
Pulsed-field ablation (PFA) offers an alternative treatment for atrial fibrillation (AF) when standard catheter ablation is not possible. This approach, utilizing superior vena cava (SVC) access, successfully treated a patient ineligible for the typical inferior vena cava (IVC) method.
Area of Science:
- Cardiology
- Electrophysiology
- Medical Devices
Background:
- Catheter ablation is a recommended therapy for atrial fibrillation (AF).
- The standard inferior vena cava (IVC) approach for catheter ablation is not always feasible.
- Alternative access routes are needed for patients unsuitable for standard IVC procedures.
Abstract:
Background: Catheter ablation of atrial fibrillation (AF) is now a Class I recommendation therapy. However, the standard inferior vena cava (IVC) approach of catheter ablation is not feasible in all patients. Case presentation: We report a case of a 64-year-old woman in whom guidewire passage was hindered by prior left iliac vein stent placement and with symptomatic recurrent paroxysmal AF who underwent successful pulmonary vein isolation with a pulsed-field ablation system by superior vena cava (SVC) access from the right internal jugular vein. Conclusions: PFA administered via the SVC provides an effective and efficient treatment strategy for patients with paroxysmal AF ineligible for standard IVC catheter ablation.
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