A Comparison of the Drug Therapy Versus Re-Ablation

propafenone, flecainide, and/or sotalol as first-line drugs in patients without structural heart disease or amiodarone as a single drug or in combination in patients with structural heart disease or in case of first-line drug failure

Reisolation of the PVs was performed by identifying the breakthrough site on the mapping catheter (NaviStar ThermoCool, Biosense-Webster Inc., Diamond Bar, CA). RF energy was delivered at 43°C, 35 W, 0.5 cm away from the PV ostia at the anterior wall, and was reduced to 43°C, 30 W, 1 cm away from the PV ostia at the posterior wall, with a saline irrigation rate of 17 mL/min. Each lesion was ablated continuously until the local potential amplitude decreased by >80% or RF energy deliveries exceeded 40 s. The endpoint of ablation was complete PVI; this was confirmed when Lasso catheter mapping showed the disappearance of all PV potentials or the dissociation of PV potentials from LA activity.

The Reveal XT was implanted in the parasternal area of the chest. The requirement for defining the exact final position was an R-wave amplitude ≥0.4 mV assessed through the Vector Check.

Patients were provided with the Patient Assistant, a tool that allows each patient to store the ECG through the implanted device during symptoms; data were collected in order to analyze heart rhythm during symptomatic events.