Evidence map›Paper›PMID 38840763›Full record

ArticleHeart rhythm O22024

Pulsed-field ablation for repeat procedures after failed prior thermal ablation for atrial fibrillation.

Jens Maurhofer, Hildegard Tanner, Thomas Kueffer, Antonio Madaffari, Gregor Thalmann, Nikola Kozhuharov, Oskar Galuszka, Helge Servatius, Andreas Haeberlin, Fabian Noti and 2 more

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Heart rhythm O2, 2024. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 9 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
9citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

9 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.

  1. Pulsed field ablation for the interventional treatment of atrial fibrillation: a scientific statement of the European Heart Rhythm Association of the European Society of Cardiology, the Heart Rhythm Society, the Asia Pacific Heart Rhythm Society, the Latin American Heart Rhythm Society, and the Canadian Heart Rhythm Society.Europace : European pacing, arrhythmias, and cardiac electrophysiology : journal of the working groups on cardiac pacing, arrhythmias, and cardiac cellular electrophysiology of the European Society of Cardiology · 2026
    Guideline
  2. Article
  3. Article
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  8. Repeat procedures after pulsed field ablation for atrial fibrillation: MANIFEST-REDO study.Europace : European pacing, arrhythmias, and cardiac electrophysiology : journal of the working groups on cardiac pacing, arrhythmias, and cardiac cellular electrophysiology of the European Society of Cardiology · 2025
    Article
  9. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

12 authors.

Jens MaurhoferDepartment of Cardiology, Inselspital, Bern University Hospital, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland.
Hildegard TannerDepartment of Cardiology, Inselspital, Bern University Hospital, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland.
Thomas KuefferDepartment of Cardiology, Inselspital, Bern University Hospital, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland.
Antonio MadaffariDepartment of Cardiology, Inselspital, Bern University Hospital, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland.
Gregor ThalmannDepartment of Cardiology, Inselspital, Bern University Hospital, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland.
Nikola KozhuharovDepartment of Cardiology, Inselspital, Bern University Hospital, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland.
Oskar GaluszkaDepartment of Cardiology, Inselspital, Bern University Hospital, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland.
Helge ServatiusDepartment of Cardiology, Inselspital, Bern University Hospital, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland.
Andreas HaeberlinDepartment of Cardiology, Inselspital, Bern University Hospital, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland.
Fabian NotiDepartment of Cardiology, Inselspital, Bern University Hospital, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland.
Laurent RotenDepartment of Cardiology, Inselspital, Bern University Hospital, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland.
Tobias ReichlinDepartment of Cardiology, Inselspital, Bern University Hospital, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Background: Pulsed-field ablation (PFA) is a novel nonthermal ablation technology. Its potential value for repeat procedures after unsuccessful thermal ablation for atrial fibrillation has not been assessed. Objective: The purpose of this study was to summarize our initial experience with patients undergoing repeat procedures using PFA. Methods: Consecutive patients with arrhythmia recurrences after a prior thermal ablation undergoing a repeat procedure using a multipolar PFA catheter from May 2021 and December 2022 were included. After 3-dimensional electroanatomic mapping, reconnected pulmonary veins (PVs) were reisolated and veins with only ostial isolation wither ablated to widen antral PV isolation. Posterior wall ablation was performed if all PVs were durably isolated or in case of low-voltage areas on the posterior wall at the discretion of the operator. Patients underwent follow-up with 7-day Holter electrocardiography after 3, 6, and 12 months. Results: A total of 186 patients undergoing a repeat procedure using PFA were included. The median number of previous ablations was 1 (range 1-6). The prior ablation modality was radiofrequency in 129 patients (69.4%), cryoballoon in 51 (27.4%), and epicardial ablation in 6 (3.2%). At the beginning of the procedure, 258 of 744 PVs (35%) showed reconnections. Additional antral ablations were applied in 236 of 486 still isolated veins (49%). Posterior wall ablation was added in 125 patients (67%). Major complications occurred in 1 patient (transient ischemic attack 0.5%). Freedom from arrhythmia recurrence in Kaplan-Meier-analysis was 78% after 6 months and 54% after 12 months. Conclusion: PFA is a versatile and safe option for repeat procedures after failed prior thermal ablation.

Indexed as

Atrial fibrillationCryoballoon ablationPulmonary vein isolationPulsed-field ablationRadiofrequency ablationRepeat procedure

Identifiers

PMID38840763
PMCPMC11148502

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.