Catheter ablation has become a standard technique for the treatment of atrial fibrillation. Pulmonary vein isolation (PVI) is the most important component of catheter ablation of atrial fibrillation. Radiofrequency (RF) ablation and balloon cryoablation can be used to achieve PVI. This review examines the biophysics and clinical efficacy of balloon cryoablation and discusses the potential advantages and disadvantages compared to RF ablation.
Keywords: Atrial fibrillation; Cryoballoon; Pulmonary Vein Isolation.
Copyright © 2017 Australian and New Zealand Society of Cardiac and Thoracic Surgeons (ANZSCTS) and the Cardiac Society of Australia and New Zealand (CSANZ). Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.