Heart and vessels
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Little is known about the outcome of catheter ablation of atrial fibrillation (AF) in patients with heart failure (HF) and a severely reduced left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF). We aimed to clarify the effectiveness of catheter ablation of AF in patients with a severely low LVEF. This retrospective study included 18 consecutive patients with HF and an LVEF of ≤ 35 % who underwent catheter ablation of AF. ⋯ The patients with SR or recurrent paroxysmal AF had significantly fewer hospitalizations for HF than those with recurrent persistent AF after the AF ablation (log-rank test; P < 0.01). Catheter ablation of AF improved the clinical status in patients with an LVEF of ≤ 35 %. A repeat ablation procedure and amiodarone were often necessary to obtain a favorable outcome.
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Late recovery of sinus rhythm is unusual in patients with permanent AF treated by (radiofrequency) RF maze procedure during mitral valve surgery. Identification of clinical and instrumental preoperative factors predictive of early success of RF ablation in patients with permanent AF undergoing mitral valve surgery may improve selection of subjects to obtain long-term results. Hundred and thirty consecutive patients with permanent AF and mitral valve disease underwent modified RF maze procedure during concomitant mitral valve surgery. ⋯ At Cox regression multivariate analysis, increased left atrial area (OR 1.07 per unit increase-95 % CI 1.01-1.131) and rheumatic aetiology of valve disease (OR 4.52, 95 % CI 1.65-12.4) were associated with persistence of AF at hospital discharge. Persistence of AF after RF ablation in patients undergoing mitral valve surgery is related to aetiology, e.g. rheumatic valve disease, and to increasing left atrial diameter. Due to low rate of late recovery of sinus rhythm, indication to RF ablation associated with MV surgery should be carefully considered in patients with large atria and rheumatic mitral valve disease.