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Review
. 2016 Nov 26;8(11):638-646.
doi: 10.4330/wjc.v8.i11.638.

Mechanisms and clinical significance of early recurrences of atrial arrhythmias after catheter ablation for atrial fibrillation

Jackson J Liang  1 , Sanjay Dixit  1 , Pasquale Santangeli  1
Affiliations
Review

Mechanisms and clinical significance of early recurrences of atrial arrhythmias after catheter ablation for atrial fibrillation

Jackson J Liang et al. World J Cardiol. .

Abstract

Early recurrence of atrial arrhythmias (ERAA) after ablation is common and strongly predicts late recurrences and ablation failure. However, since arrhythmia may eventually resolve in up to half of patients with ERAA, guidelines do not recommend immediate reintervention for ERAA episodes occurring during a 3-mo post-ablation blanking period. Certain clinical demographic, electrophysiologic, procedural, and ERAA-related characteristics may predict a higher likelihood of long-term ablation failure. In this review, we aim to discuss potential mechanisms of ERAA, and to summarize the clinical significance, prognostic implications, and treatment options for ERAA.

Keywords: Atrial fibrillation; Catheter ablation; Pulmonary vein isolation; Recurrence.

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Conflict of interest statement

Conflict-of-interest statement: The authors report no relevant conflicts of interest.

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