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Despite advances in ablative therapies, outcomes remain less favorable for persistent atrial fibrillation often due to presence of non-pulmonary vein triggers and abnormal atrial substrates. This review highlights advances in ablation technologies and notable scientific literature on clinical outcomes associated with pursuing adjunctive ablation targets and substrate modification during persistent atrial fibrillation ablation, while also highlighting notable future directions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: We examined the characteristics of non-pulmonary vein (PV) triggers in repeat ablation after cryoballoon ablation for paroxysmal atrial fibrillation (PAF).Methods: This study evaluated 119 patients undergoing a second ablation procedure for recurrent atrial tachyarrhythmia (ATA) after cryoballoon PV isolation (CB-PVI) for PAF.Results: Fifty-three of 119 (45%) patients had PV reconnection. All reconnected PVs were isolated. No non-PV triggers were elicited in 42/119 (35%) patients (NNPV group). In 77/119 (65%) patients, 139 isoproterenol-induced non-PV triggers, including 45 triggers that initiated AF, were identified. Non-PV triggers initiating AF were observed at the superior vena cava (SVC), left atrial posterior wall (LAPW) including the PV antra, interatrial septum, right atrium, left atrial appendage/mitral anulus, and coronary sinus in 14 (12%), 10 (8%), 8 (7%), 7 (6%), 4 (3%), and 2 (2%) patients, respectively. Non-PV triggers originated from only the SVC and/or LAPW including the PV antra, and the SVC and/or LAPW was isolated in 18/119 (15%) patients (SVC/LAPW group). Non-PV triggers originating from other sites were focally ablated in 59/119 (50%) patients (OS group). During a median 461 days of follow-up, 39/42 (93%), 17/18 (94%), and 38/59 (64%) patients in the NNPV, SVC/LAPW, and OS groups, respectively, remained ATA recurrence-free. The recurrence rate was higher in the OS group than in the NNPV (P = 0.005) or SVC/LAPW groups (P = 0.042).Conclusions: Over half of patients had non-PV triggers at subsequent ablation after CB-PVI. Non-PV triggers from the SVC/LAPW can be eliminated more successfully than triggers from other sites. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Whether or not pulmonary vein isolation (PVI) plus left atrial posterior wall isolation (PWI) using contact force (CF) sensing improves the ablation outcome for persistent atrial fibrillation (AF) is unclear. This study compared the outcome of PVI plus PWI and additional non-PV trigger ablation for persistent AF with/without CF sensing. Methods: This retrospective cohort study analyzed 148 propensity score-matched persistent AF patients (median duration of persistent AF, 8 months (interquartile range, 3–24 months); left atrial diameter, 43 ± 7 mm) undergoing PVI plus PWI and ablation of non-PV triggers provoked by high-dose isoproterenol, including 74 with CF-sensing catheters (CF group) and 74 with conventional catheters (non-CF group). PVI plus PWI with no additional ablation but cavotricuspid isthmus ablation was performed without non-PV triggers in 48 CF patients (65%) and 54 non-CF patients (73%) (P = 0.38). In all other patients, we performed additional ablation of provoked non-PV triggers. Results: The Kaplan-Meier estimate of the rate of freedom from atrial tachyarrhythmia recurrence off antiarrhythmic drugs at 12 months after the single procedure was higher in the CF group than in the non-CF group (85 vs. 70%, log-rank P = 0.030). A multivariable analysis revealed that using CF sensing and non-inducibility of AF from a non-PV trigger after PVI and PWI were significantly associated with a reduced rate of atrial tachyarrhythmia recurrence. Conclusions: Compared with non-CF sensing, PVI plus PWI and additional non-PV trigger ablation using CF-sensing catheters for persistent AF can reduce the rate of atrial tachyarrhythmia recurrence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A case study of a 67‐year‐old woman with recurrent persistent atrial fibrillation (AF) and having undergone pulmonary vein isolation (PVI) is presented. Topics discussed include normal left ventricular systolic function with mild to moderate left atrial enlargement; and advent of force‐sensing catheters, high‐frequency low‐volume ventilation, and long sheaths resulting in more effective persistent PVI, the situation has become increasingly common in clinical practice.