Avoiding Bladder Catheters During Atrial Fibrillation Ablation.

Objectives: This study sought to determine if atrial fibrillation (AF) ablation can be performed safely without bladder catheterization.

Background: Patients undergoing AF ablation often receive bladder catheters. Catheterization is associated with potential complications. The ABCD-AF (Avoiding Bladder Catheters During Atrial Fibrillation) ablation study evaluates the advantages of performing AF ablation without routine catheterization.

Methods: In this single-center, prospective, randomized controlled trial, 80 patients received bladder catheterization (group A), and 80 patients received only as-needed catheterization (group B). The primary endpoint was a composite of cystitis, urethral injury, hematuria, dysuria, or urinary retention.

Results: The mean patient age was 63 ± 13 years, and 33% of patients were female. The primary outcome was reached in 45 patients in group A and 11 patients in group B (p < 0.001). Urinary tract infection occurred in 7 patients in group A and 2 patients in group B (p = 0.17). Urinary retention occurred in 12 patients in group A and 5 patients in group B (p = 0.07). Randomization to catheterization carried an odds ratio of 8.1 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 3.7 to 17.5; p < 0.001), and male sex carried an odds ratio of 3.8 (95% CI: 1.7 to 8.6; p = 0.001) for the primary endpoint. On subgroup analysis, randomization to undergo catheterization had no association with the primary outcome in female patients but had an odds ratio of 14.6 (95% CI: 5.6 to 38.1; p < 0.001) in male patients. In multivariable analysis, sex and catheter status remained independently associated with the primary outcome.

Conclusions: Bladder catheterization can be safely avoided in patients undergoing AF ablation and is associated with a significant reduction in adverse outcomes, especially in men.