The complexity of CHD appears to have a significant effect on a study but not in others .
Catheter ablation in ASD and persistent left superior vena cava had a high success rate .
Overall , catheter ablation is safe whichever the type of CHD is .
Conclusion Catheter ablation for AF in CHD had modest efficacy that can be increased by subsequent/repeat ablation and it also has an excellent safety profile .
Abstract Background Prevalence of atrial fibrillation ( AF ) in patients with congenital heart disease ( CHD ) is on the rise .
Anti-arrhythmic drugs are usually the first line of treatment in CHD , however , it is often ineffective and poorly tolerated .
We aim ed to perform a systematic review to assess the efficacy and safety of catheter ablation for AF in CHD .
Catheter ablation of atrial fibrillation in patients with atrial septal defect: long-term follow-up results
Introduction Atrial fibrillation ( AF ) is commonly found in patients with structural heart disease ( SHD ) , including atrial septal defect ( ASD ) . The feasibility and safety of ablation for AF in patients with unrepaired ASD is seldom reported . Objectives This study aims to evaluate and compare the long-term efficacy of  AF ablation  in patients with and without ASD . Methods From January 2008 to December 2012 , 18 consecutive patients were identified with medically refractory AF and an unrepaired ASD under catheter ablation .  For each ASD patient , four control subjects were matched from our data base . Results There were no significant differences between groups in terms of age , sex , type of AF , LA diameter , LVIDD , and EF . The mean procedural and fluoroscopy times were not different between the groups ( p = NS ) . After a median follow-up of 20 months , the patients in the ASD group had 44.4 % AF recurrence after a single procedure compared with 34.7 % in the control group ( p = 0.11 ) . The mean LA diameter in non-recurrent patients was smaller than in recurrent patients ( p = 0.03 ) . In univariate Cox proportional hazards analyses , the factor found to have a significant association with arrhythmia recurrences was left atrial diameter ( hazard ratio 1.059 , 95 % confidence interval 1.002 to 1.120 , p = 0.03 ) . Conclusions These results indicate that in patients with AF and an ASD amenable to percutaneous closure , a staged approach with radiofrequency ablation of AF preceding closure is a rational strategy
The complexity of CHD appears to have a significant effect on a study but not in others .
Catheter ablation in ASD and persistent left superior vena cava had a high success rate .
Overall , catheter ablation is safe whichever the type of CHD is .
Conclusion Catheter ablation for AF in CHD had modest efficacy that can be increased by subsequent/repeat ablation and it also has an excellent safety profile .
Abstract Background Prevalence of atrial fibrillation ( AF ) in patients with congenital heart disease ( CHD ) is on the rise .
Anti-arrhythmic drugs are usually the first line of treatment in CHD , however , it is often ineffective and poorly tolerated .
We aim ed to perform a systematic review to assess the efficacy and safety of catheter ablation for AF in CHD .