Ablation of atrial fibrillation

The Circumferential pulmonary vein isolation or linear is an electro- surgical, minimally invasive method for the treatment of idiopathic paroxysmal or ( anfallsweisem ) atrial fibrillation. Through a venous blood vessel in the groin, a catheter is inserted via the vena cava into the right atrium and placed through the septum through the left atrium. From there be sampled and creates a three-dimensional reconstruction, the so-called map in the computer with a catheter measuring the Pulmonalvenenwände. Subsequently, the atrial muscle near the pulmonary vein is obliterated by high- frequency current catheter ablation to prevent forwarding of the myoelectric pulses to the atrium. The procedure takes about 1-2 hours. In contrast to drug therapy, with the sensitivity of the atrial cells and thus the pulse forwarding is only temporarily reduced, the pulmonary vein is permanent. A presented by a U.S. research group led by Dr. John Day from Salt Lake City on the Denver Heart Rhythm 2010 Congress study showed that patients with atrial fibrillation after catheter ablation had a significantly lower risk of Alzheimer's disease and dementia as drug- treated patients.

The procedure is now established in many hospitals with greater cardiology and clinical electrophysiology. About 25 % of patients require a second surgery after a few months to possibly close remaining gaps in the ablation lines. The overall success rate is given as about 80 %. Serious complications occur in about 2 % of treatments, such as stroke, pulmonary stenosis, perforation of the esophagus and pericardial effusion. Frequent complications occur (eg vascular injuries, post-operative bleeding ) at the puncture site in the groin.