Treatment of atrial fibrillation by the ablation of localized sources: CONFIRM (Conventional Ablation for Atrial Fibrillation With or Without Focal Impulse and Rotor Modulation) trial.

ABSTRACT:

Objectives

We hypothesized that human atrial fibrillation (AF) may be sustained by localized sources (electrical rotors and focal impulses), whose elimination (focal impulse and rotor modulation [FIRM]) may improve outcome from AF ablation.

Background

Catheter ablation for AF is a promising therapy, whose success is limited in part by uncertainty in the mechanisms that sustain AF. We developed a computational approach to map whether AF is sustained by several meandering waves (the prevailing hypothesis) or localized sources, then prospectively tested whether targeting patient-specific mechanisms revealed by mapping would improve AF ablation outcome.

Methods

We recruited 92 subjects during 107 consecutive ablation procedures for paroxysmal or persistent (72%) AF. Cases

SUBMITTER: Narayan SM 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3416917 | biostudies-literature | 2012 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature