Abstract
Purpose: Aim of this study, present outcome of patients with persistent atrial fibrillation (persAFib) during on one year follow up period after single procedure pulmonary vein isolation using the cryoballoon second generation (CB 2). Methods and results: To total 120 patients (73 male, 61%; mean age 59.8±13.2 years) with persAFib after undergoing PVI using the CB 2 were implanted insertable cardiac monitor (ICM) Reveal XT, MDT. Follow up was based on diagnostic data from ICM during outpatient clinic visits. Recurrence of atrial tachyarrhythmias was defined as a symptomatic or documented episode >30 sec. Total of 480 pulmonary veins (PVs) were identified and successfully isolated with 1.3±0.3 mean freezes. Mean procedure and fluoroscopy times were 93.1±22.2 and 17.7±5.3 min, respectively. At a mean follow-up of 12 months, freedom from recurrence of atrial tachyarrhythmias after a single procedure was achieved in 71.2% of patients with persAFib. Similar success rates were observed between bonus freeze and single freeze strategies, 72.5 and 69.9%, respectively (P=0.9). Multivariate analysis demonstrated that persAF (P=0.04) and recurrens during blanking period (P<0.0001) were independent predictors of atrial tachyarrhythmias recurrences.