Program Summary

Riccardo Cappato, MD, FHRS explains that most of the data we have about ablation for atrial fibrillation are single center observational studies with a limited number of patients and relatively brief follow-up. Thus, Dr. Cappato organized an International Registry to provide more breadth of data from higher volume centers. The First Registry included patients from 1995-2002 (Circulation 111 (2005), pp. 1100-1105). data was collected by anonymous voluntary return of questionnaires from 181 centers worldwide comprised of 8745 patients. The successful suppression of atrial fibrillation without an antiarrhythmia drug was 52% with another 23.5% suppressed by the addition of an antiarrhythmia drug. There was an overall complication rate of 4.0% with the creation of an iatrogenic atrial arrhythmias in 3.9%

In this presentation of The Second Registry, Dr. Cappato explained the use of a similary methodology using the time frame from 2003 through 2006. There were a total of 16,309 patients from 85 centers. Additionally, there was a mean of 1.3 procedures per patient for a total of 20,825 procedures.

Suppression of atrial fibrillation was achieved in 70% of patients without an antiarrhyhmia drug with an additional 10% suppressed with a drug. The complication rate was 4.5% with the creation of an iatrogenic atrial arrhtyhmias in 8.3%. Finally, there were 25 deaths (0.15%) with 215 tamponades (1.31%), 115 TIAs (9.71%), 37 CVAs (0.23%), 49 PV stenoses (0.29%).

Target Audience

This program is intended for a professional audience.

• Cardiac electrophysiologists
• Cardiology and cardiac electrophysiology fellows
• Cardiac surgeons
• Other cardiologists and radiologists

Learning Objectives

Upon completion of this educational activity, participants will be able to:

• Understand that risks and successes associated with ablation of atrial fibrillation are highly operator and program dependent.
  

Faculty

Riccardo Cappato, MD, FHRS
Policlinico San Donato
Milan, Italy

Author

Michael Belz, MD
Group Health Cooperative
Seattle, WA

Accreditation

The Heart Rhythm Society is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) to provide continuing medical education for physicians.

Continuing Medical Education (CME)

The Heart Rhythm Society designates this educational activity for a maximum of 1.0 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits^TM. Physicians should only claim credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.

The AMA has determined that physicians not licensed in the USA who participate in this CME activity are eligible for AMA PRA Category 1 Credits^TM.

Continuing Education (CE) for Nurses

The Heart Rhythm Society is an approved provider of continuing nursing education by the New York State Nurses Association, an accredited approver by the American Nurses Credentialing Center’s Commission on Accreditation.

It has been assigned code 7M7R3X-PRV-09-04.

A maximum of 1.0 credit hours are available for this educational activity.

View Webcast

Lessons from the Second International Ablation Registry Update: Does It Confirm or Refute Observational Outcomes?

Required Hardware and Software 

• Computer Screen with USB Drive Screen resolution of 1024x786 or larger
  
• Sound card and speakers/headphones
  
• Operating System Requirement: Windows Vista; Windows XP Service Pack 2, Windows 7 Intel® Pentium® III 450MHz or faster processor (or equivalent) 128MB or RAM Mac OS Apple Mac OS X 10.4.8 or above Intel Core TM Duo 1.83GHz or faster processor 128MB of RAM Plug-in
  

Supported by an educational grant from: