Atrial mapping and radiofrequency catheter ablation in patients with idiopathic atrial fibrillation. Electrophysiological findings and ablation results.

BACKGROUND

Knowledge of the electrophysiological substrates and the cure of atrial fibrillation (AF) is still unsatisfactory. The goal of this study was to evaluate the electrophysiological features of idiopathic AF and their relationship to the results of radiofrequency (RF) catheter ablation of AF and the safety and effectiveness of this procedure.

METHODS AND RESULTS

Sixteen patients with idiopathic AF underwent atrial mapping during AF and then RF ablation in the right atrium. The atrial activation was simultaneously recorded in four regions in the right atrium: high lateral wall (HL), low lateral wall (LL), high septum (HS), and low septum (LS) and in the left atrium through the coronary sinus (CS). In these regions, we evaluated the atrial fibrillation intervals (FF) and the morphological features of AF recordings by Wells' classification. No complications occurred during RF ablation. Of the 16 patients, 9 (56%) without AF recurrences during the follow-up (11 +/- 4 months) were considered successfully ablated. These patients showed a significantly shorter mean FF interval in the HS and the LS (122 +/- 32 and 126 +/- 28 ms, respectively), than in the HL and LL (159 +/- 24 and 156 +/- 28 ms, respectively). Moreover, the septum had more irregular electrical activity with greater beat-to-beat changes in FF and a higher prevalence of type III AF than the lateral region. The CS had similar behavior to the septum. Conversely, patients with unsuccessful ablation had an irregular atrial activity in the lateral wall, septum, and CS with no significant differences between the different sites.

CONCLUSIONS

Right atrial endocardial catheter ablation of AF is a safe procedure and may be effective in some patients with idiopathic AF. The atrial mapping during AF showed a more disorganized right atrial activation in the septum than in the lateral wall in patients with successful ablation.