Reablation in Atrial Fibrillation Recurrence and Pulmonary Vein Reconnection: Cryoballoon versus Radiofrequency as Index Ablation Procedures

Figures

• 

  Figure 1. The need for reablation in AF in patients with CB and RF ablation. Kaplan–Meier curves of the need for reablation during a 30-month follow-up based on the procedure for AF with CB or RF ablation using a Cox regression model adjusted for: age, sex, active smoking, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, dyslipidemia, severe OSA, dilated LA, persistent AF and early recurrence. Abbreviations: AF = atrial fibrillation; CB = cryoballoon; CI = Confidence Interval; HR = hazard ratio; LA = left atrium; OSA = obstructive sleep apnea; RF = radiofrequency.

• 

  Figure 2. The need for reablation in patients with CB and RF ablation procedures for paroxysmal or persistent AF. Kaplan–Meier curves of the need for reablation during a 30-month follow-up based on the procedure for AF with CB or RF ablation using Cox regression models adjusted for age, sex, active smoking, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, dyslipidemia, severe OSA, dilated LA, persistent AF and early recurrence. (A) The need for reablation in paroxysmal AF; (B) The need for reablation in persistent AF. Abbreviations: AF = atrial fibrillation; CB = cryoballoon; CI = Confidence Interval; HR = hazard ratio; LA = left atrium; OSA = obstructive sleep apnea; RF = radiofrequency.

• 

  Figure 3. PV reconnection in the reablation subgroups from patients with CB and RF ablation procedures. Evidence of PV reconnection and number of reconnected PVs during a 30-month follow-up period in patients from the CB-redo and RF-redo subgroups. (A) Kaplan–Meier curves of the PV reconnection in reablation in the CB-redo or RF-redo subgroup using a Cox regression model adjusted for: age, sex, active smoking, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, dyslipidemia, severe OSA, dilated LA, persistent AF and early recurrence; (B) Number of patients with 0, 1, 2, 3 and 4 reconnected PVs from the CB-redo and the RF-redo subgroups. Abbreviations: AF = atrial fibrillation; CB = cryoballoon; CI = Confidence Interval; HR = hazard ratio; LA = left atrium; OSA = obstructive sleep apnea; PV = pulmonary vein; RF = radiofrequency.

• 

  Figure 4. Exact distribution in the PVs of the 502 atrial foci from the redo subgroups observed in the 223 procedures of reablation. (A) Anatomical distribution in the LA and PVs of the atrial foci causing the arrhythmia recurrence in patients from the CB-redo and RF-redo subgroups. (B) Three-dimensional diagram of the anatomy of the LA and PVs. Abbreviations: CB = cryoballoon; CS = coronary sinus; CTI = cavotricuspid isthmus; LA = left atrium; LAA = left atrial appendage; LIPV = left inferior pulmonary vein; LSPV = left superior pulmonary vein; PA = posterior-anterior; PV = pulmonary vein; RIPV = right inferior pulmonary vein; RSPV = right superior pulmonary vein; RA = right atrium; RF = radiofrequency; SVC = superior vena cava.