Hybrid Treatment of Advanced Atrial Fibrillation: A Best Practice Guide for the Subxiphoid Approach-AtriCure Oza

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Video Summary

Dr. Salmo Oza, a cardiac electrophysiologist, discusses hybrid epicardial-endocardial ablation for atrial fibrillation (AFib) in patients with heart failure. Atrial fibrillation often worsens with severe heart failure, leading to increased clinical deterioration. Restoring normal sinus rhythm is essential as it improves heart function and reduces mortality. Guidelines now recommend catheter ablation over drug therapy for managing AFib in heart failure patients, showing superior outcomes such as improved ejection fraction and reduced hospitalizations.<br /><br />However, endocardial ablation's effectiveness diminishes in advanced, long-standing persistent AFib cases, necessitating hybrid ablation approaches. Trials like CONVERGE and CEASE-AF demonstrate hybrid ablation's superiority, showing significant improvements in cardiac function and reduced AFib occurrence. These procedures can substantially benefit patients with severe heart conditions but further trials are needed to substantiate these findings. Overall, hybrid ablation offers a promising strategy for treating advanced AFib and enhancing heart function.

Keywords

hybrid ablation

atrial fibrillation

heart failure

cardiac electrophysiologist

catheter ablation