Preliminary Results of the Efficacy and Safety of Cryoablation for Pulmonary Vein Isolation in Paroxysmal Atrial Fibrillation: a Study From Vietnam.

Abstract

Background: Atrial fibrillation is the most common type of arrhythmia. The symptoms of atrial fibrillation not only significantly impacted quality of life but also associated with thrombotic events and heart failure, thereby increased risk of mortality. According to current guidelines, the initial treatment strategy for patients with atrial fibrillation is antiarrhythmic medication.

Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the safety, efficacy, and procedural adaptations required for cryoablation in Vietnamese patients with paroxysmal atrial fibrillation (AF).

Methods: Fifteen patients with paroxysmal AF underwent cryoablation using a standardized protocol. Patient characteristics, procedural parameters, and outcomes were recorded. Safety was assessed by monitoring acute complications, and procedural success was defined as complete pulmonary vein isolation (PVI) confirmed by bidirectional block.

Results: Complete PVI was achieved in 100% of patients, with an average procedural duration of 125 ± 32 minutes and fluoroscopy time of 14 ± 8 minutes. No acute complications related to cryoablation.

Conclusion: Cryoablation demonstrated safety and efficacy in achieving PVI for paroxysmal AF in a resource-limited setting. Larger studies with extended follow-up are required to further validate these outcomes and explore the long-term efficacy and sustainability of cryoablation techniques.