New review of Cryoballoon Ablation treatment for Atrial Fibrillation

A new research review comparing the efficacy and safety of cryoballoon ablation for Atrial Fibrillation finds that a single cryoballoon ablation procedure for paroxysmal AF results in high acute and medium-term efficacy rates, with lower success rates when used as stand-alone therapy for persistent AF. The rate of complications is relatively low and includes a 6.38% incidence of PNP, most of which is transient. The review also looks at results of the STOP-AF trial, which found that 70 percent of patients with Atrial Fibrillation who were treated with Medtronic's Arctic Fox cryoballoon ablation freezing technique are free of any heart rhythm irregularities one year out from having the procedure. (Heart Rhythm, Volume 8, Issue 9 , Pages 1444-1451, September 2011)