Ganglionated plexi ablation directed by high-frequency stimulation and complex fractionated atrial electrograms for paroxysmal atrial fibrillation.

BACKGROUND: The effectiveness of ganglionated plexi (GP) ablation in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) is ambiguous. Some researchers had already suggested that additional identification of complex fractionated atrial electrograms (CFAE) around the areas with a positive reaction to high-frequency stimulation (HFS) might improve the accuracy of GP's boundaries location, then enhancing the success rate of ablation. The purpose of this study was to assess the safety and efficacy of GP ablation directed by HFS and CFAE in patients with paroxysmal AF (PAF).

METHODS AND RESULTS: Sixty-two patients with PAF (age 57±8 years) underwent GP ablation. Ablation targets were the sites where vagal reflexes were evoked by HFS and additional extended ablation CFAE area around the areas where vagal reflexes were evoked. At 12 months, 71% of patients were free of symptomatic AF. At 3 months after ablation the root mean square successive differences and HF were significantly lower in patients without AF recurrence (P < 0.0001 and P = 0.004). The LF/HF ratio was significantly higher in patients without AF recurrence (P = 0.02).

CONCLUSION: Enhanced GP ablation directed by HFS and CFAE can be safely performed and enables maintenance of sinus rhythm in the majority of patients with PAF for a 12-month period. Denervation of the intrinsic cardiac autonomic nervous system may be the preferable target of catheter ablation of AF.