Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40237856›Full record

ReviewCardiovascular drugs and therapy2026

Combined Catheter Ablation and Left Atrial Appendage Occlusion in Atrial Fibrillation: From Data to Clinical Reality.

Kyriakos Dimitriadis, Eleni Adamopoulou, Nikolaos Pyrpyris, Panagiotis Iliakis, Eirini Beneki, Dimitrios Konstantinidis, Christos Fragkoulis, Alexios Antonopoulos, Aggelos Papanikolaou, Konstantinos Aznaouridis and 2 more

Abstract readReview
In one paragraph

Review in Cardiovascular drugs and therapy, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–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

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Review
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.

Kyriakos DimitriadisFirst Department of Cardiology, School of Medicine, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Hippokration General Hospital, Vas Sofias 114, 115 27, Athens, Greece. dimitriadiskyr@yahoo.gr.ORCID 0000-0003-3186-8905
Eleni AdamopoulouFirst Department of Cardiology, School of Medicine, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Hippokration General Hospital, Vas Sofias 114, 115 27, Athens, Greece.
Nikolaos PyrpyrisFirst Department of Cardiology, School of Medicine, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Hippokration General Hospital, Vas Sofias 114, 115 27, Athens, Greece.
Panagiotis IliakisFirst Department of Cardiology, School of Medicine, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Hippokration General Hospital, Vas Sofias 114, 115 27, Athens, Greece.
Eirini BenekiFirst Department of Cardiology, School of Medicine, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Hippokration General Hospital, Vas Sofias 114, 115 27, Athens, Greece.
Dimitrios KonstantinidisFirst Department of Cardiology, School of Medicine, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Hippokration General Hospital, Vas Sofias 114, 115 27, Athens, Greece.
Christos FragkoulisFirst Department of Cardiology, School of Medicine, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Hippokration General Hospital, Vas Sofias 114, 115 27, Athens, Greece.
Alexios AntonopoulosFirst Department of Cardiology, School of Medicine, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Hippokration General Hospital, Vas Sofias 114, 115 27, Athens, Greece.
Aggelos PapanikolaouFirst Department of Cardiology, School of Medicine, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Hippokration General Hospital, Vas Sofias 114, 115 27, Athens, Greece.
Konstantinos AznaouridisFirst Department of Cardiology, School of Medicine, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Hippokration General Hospital, Vas Sofias 114, 115 27, Athens, Greece.
Konstantina AggeliFirst Department of Cardiology, School of Medicine, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Hippokration General Hospital, Vas Sofias 114, 115 27, Athens, Greece.
Konstantinos TsioufisFirst Department of Cardiology, School of Medicine, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Hippokration General Hospital, Vas Sofias 114, 115 27, Athens, Greece.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

purposeAtrial fibrillation (AF) requires treatment that focuses on two main goals: symptom control and prevention of thromboembolic events. Catheter ablation and left atrial appendage occlusion (LAAO) constitute two well-established treatment methods in selected patients that accomplish these two goals correspondingly. Recently, there is increasing interest in performing the two procedures concomitantly in a so-called "combined" or "one-stop" procedure. This review aims to summarize the current data on the combined procedure, from the rationale and the techniques to its clinical efficacy, indications and future directions.

methodsAn extensive search has been conducted using the MEDLINE/PubMed database to identify the relevant studies.

resultsThe reported success rates of the combined procedure are very high and frequently reach 100% when performed by experienced operators. The periprocedural and follow-up complications are low, the procedure is cost-effective, while there is significant stroke, bleeding and arrhythmia incidence reduction that does not seem to be undermined by interference between the two interventions. There are also a few indications that the one-stop procedure has a positive effect on left atrial mechanical function as it has been correlated with left atrial reverse remodeling. On the other hand, some studies suggest possible increase in peri-device leaks (PDLs), compared with LAAO alone, which could in turn negatively affect the clinical outcomes. Most available studies are small and observational, with a lack of randomized controlled trials.

conclusionCatheter ablation and left atrial appendage occlusion can be safely and effectively combined in a cost-effective single procedure in carefully selected patients.

Indexed as

Atrial AppendageAtrial FibrillationCatheter AblationHumansThromboembolismTreatment OutcomeAblationAnticoagulationAtrial fibrillationLeft atrial appendage occlusionStrokeThromboembolism

Identifiers

PMID40237856
PMCPMC12872719

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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.