ATRIAL FIBRILLATION:MODERN APPROACH TO TREATMENT
Keywords:
Most procedures are performed under general anesthesia.Abstract
The primary trigger for most episodes of atrial fibrillation (AF) is an electrical discharge(s) within one of the four pulmonary veins. The cornerstone of any procedure aimed at reducing AF burden is the electrical isolation of the pulmonary veins so that these discharges do not trigger the initiation of AF. In those with persistent and longstanding persistent AF, and in some patients with paroxysmal AF, additional areas, often in one or both of the atria or surrounding structures, are targeted for ablation, as they may also serve as a source of AF triggers or maintenance. Catheter ablation (CA) is the procedure that is used to prevent the initiation of AF by electrically isolating these triggers from the rest of the atrial chamber tissue.
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