Transesophageal echocardiography for thrombus screening prior to left atrial catheter ablation.

Background: Transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) is useful for detecting left atrial (LA) thrombus prior to percutaneous LA catheter ablation in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF). This study was designed to evaluate clinical predictors of LA thrombus and determine indications for TEE screening prior to LA ablation.

Methods And Results: The study consisted of 446 patients with drug-resistant AF who were scheduled to undergo initial LA ablation (age 59+/-11 years, 312 males, 136 persistent AF).

ATP-induced dormant pulmonary veins originating from the carina region after circumferential pulmonary vein isolation of atrial fibrillation.

Introduction: Elimination of transient pulmonary vein recurrences (dormant PVs) induced by an ATP injection and ablation at the PV carina region is an effective strategy for atrial fibrillation (AF) ablation. The relationship between dormant PVs and the PV carina region has not been evaluated.

Methods: A total of 212 consecutive symptomatic AF patients underwent circumferential PV electrical isolation (CPVEI) with a double lasso technique.