Reversion and maintenance of sinus rhythm in patients with permanent atrial fibrillation by internal cardioversion followed by biatrial pacing.

Patients in atrialfibrillation (AF) who fail external cardioversion are usually regarded as in permanent AF. Internal cardioversion may revert many such patients into sinus rhythm (SR) but the majority relapse rapidly into AF. We investigated whether internal cardioversion followed by biatrial pacing is an effective to restore and subsequently maintain SR in patients with permanent AF.