Does cryoablation of the posterior left atrium restore sinus rhythm and prevent AF inducibility in a canine model of rapid atrial pacing-induced AF?
In a canine model, the posterior left atrium plays a critical role in the maintenance of pacing-induced atrial fibrillation, and targeted cryoablation of this area can restore sinus rhythm.
Sustained AF was readily inducible in most dogs (82%) after rapid atrial pacing. This model was consistently associated with biatrial myopathy and marked changes in atrial vulnerability. An area in the posterior left atrium was uniformly shown to have the shortest AFCL. The results of restoration of sinus rhythm and prevention of inducibility of AF after cryoablation of this area of the left atrium suggest that this area may be critical in the maintenance of AF in this model.
Morillo et al. (1995) studied this question.