Fehmi Keçe

Advances in Atrial Fibrillation Ablation Devices 29 2 2.1 Introduction Catheter ablation is an effective strategy to maintain sinus rhythm in patients with symptomatic atrial fibrillation (AF) which has evolved from a highly specialized technique to a first-line therapy (1-3). The cornerstone of ablation is pulmonary vein isolation (PVI) (4). Over the last decade, ablation devices have undergone technical improvements, aiming for better lesion durability and ablation outcomes. However, significant complications have been reported in survey studies and patient safety remains of concern (4-9). Although operators have become more experienced, technical advances with improved energy transfer may increase procedural risk. As a consequence, catheter design and ablation protocols have been adapted to prevent complications. For individualized patient care and device selection, knowledge of potential risks and benefits for the different available devices is important. The aim of this review is to provide an overview of type and incidence of complications and strategies for prevention for single-tip and multi-electrode radiofrequency catheter ablation (RFCA) and balloon-based ablation devices.