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Updated: Aug 6, 2026

Catheter Ablation in Combination With Left Atrial Appendage Closure for Atrial Fibrillation
Published on: February 26, 2013
Acute Termination of Atrial Fibrillation During Ablation of a Left Atrial Slow-Conduction Channel
Agustín Bortone1, Ziad Khoueiry2, Luca Rosario Limite2
1Service de Cardiologie, Hôpital Privé Les Franciscaines, Nîmes, ELSAN, France.
Introduction:
Left atrial (LA) slow-conduction channels (SCCs) may represent active drivers of persistent AF, but human evidence is lacking.
Methods And Results:
A 77-year-old patient with persistent AF developed LA flutter during PVI, which subsequently degenerated into AF. Activation mapping identified the flutter isthmus as an anterior LA SCC. The first radiofrequency application at this channel abruptly slowed and terminated AF, restoring SR. The patient remains arrhythmia-free at 4 months.
Conclusion:
This case provides the first human evidence suggesting that LA SCCs may actively sustain AF. However, further experimental and clinical studies are required to confirm these preliminary findings.
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