Cryoballoon ablation for paroxysmal atrial fibrillation in septuagenarians: a prospective study

• Main Authors: Chierchia GB, Capulzini L, de Asmundis C, Sarkozy A, Sorgente A, Yazaki Y, Muller Burri SA, Paparella G, Lamier M, Bayrak F, Brugada P., DE PONTI, ROBERTO
• Other Authors: Chierchia, Gb, Capulzini, L, de Asmundis, C, Sarkozy, A, Sorgente, A, Yazaki, Y, Muller Burri, Sa, Paparella, G, Lamier, M, Bayrak, F, DE PONTI, Roberto, Brugada, P.
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: 2010
• Subjects: Atrial fibrillation; Cryoballoon; Elderly; Arctic
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/11383/1745921

Aims: To evaluate the effects of pulmonary vein isolation (PVI) in terms of feasibility, safety and success rate on a midterm follow-up period in septuagenarians undergoing ablation with the Arctic Front Cryoballoon for atrial fibrillation (AF). Methods and Results: We prospectively enrolled 21 patients aged 70 years or older (14 male; age 73 ± 2.5 years) elected to circumferential PVI with the 28mm cryoballoon for symptomatic drug resistant paroxysmal AF. A total number of 82 pulmonary veins (PV) were evidenced. Successful isolation could be obtained in all 82 (100%) PV ostia at the end of procedure. No major complication occurred during procedure. At a mean follow-up of 11.5 ± 4.7 months following ablation, 62% of patients did not present recurrence of atrial arrhythmias. Conclusion: Cryoballoon ablation may be feasible and safe in older patients. Moreover a large proportion of the latter did not present AF recurrence during follow-up.