There is limited evidence to suggest which ablation method was the best .
There is limited evidence to suggest that CA may be a better treatment option compared to medical therapies in the management of persistent AF .
This review was also unable to recommend the best CA method
BACKGROUND Atrial fibrillation ( AF ) is the most common cardiac arrhythmia seen in cardiovascular departments .
Treatments include medical interventions and catheter ablation .
Due to uncertainties in medical therapies for AF , and the need to continue sinus rhythm , ablation has been recently considered as a viable alternative .
Many new ablation methods based on pulmonary vein isolation ( PVI ) have been developed .
OBJECTIVES The primary objective of this review was to assess the beneficial and harmful effects of  catheter ablation ( CA ) in comparison with medical treatment in patients with paroxysmal and persistent AF .
The secondary objective was to determine the best regimen of CA .
Pulmonary vein isolation using segmental versus electroanatomical circumferential ablation for paroxysmal atrial fibrillation
Purpose We tested the hypothesis that electroanatomic pulmonary vein ( PV ) antra encircling for the PV isolation will improve the outcome in treatment of paroxysmal atrial fibrillation ( PAF ) , compared with segmental PV isolation . Methods Fifty-four patients underwent segmental PV isolation ( group 1 ) and 56 patients circumferential PV isolation ( group 2 ) for symptomatic PAF in a r and omized study . Results Following single ablation procedure , at the 48 ± 8 month follow-up , 30 ( 56 % ) and 32 ( 57 % ) patients in groups 1 and 2 remained free of arrhythmia ( P = 0.41 ) . After repeat ablation , 43 ( 80 % ) and 45 ( 80 % ) patients in groups 1 and 2 were free of arrhythmia without antiarrhythmic drugs ( AADs ) ; 48 ( 89 % ) and 51 ( 91 % ) patients in groups 1 and 2 did not have arrhythmia recurrences without or with AADs . Conclusion This study demonstrates no advantage in long-term arrhythmia-free clinical outcome after circumferential PV isolation in patients with frequent PAF
There is limited evidence to suggest which ablation method was the best .
There is limited evidence to suggest that CA may be a better treatment option compared to medical therapies in the management of persistent AF .
This review was also unable to recommend the best CA method
BACKGROUND Atrial fibrillation ( AF ) is the most common cardiac arrhythmia seen in cardiovascular departments .
Treatments include medical interventions and catheter ablation .
Due to uncertainties in medical therapies for AF , and the need to continue sinus rhythm , ablation has been recently considered as a viable alternative .
Many new ablation methods based on pulmonary vein isolation ( PVI ) have been developed .
OBJECTIVES The primary objective of this review was to assess the beneficial and harmful effects of  catheter ablation ( CA ) in comparison with medical treatment in patients with paroxysmal and persistent AF .
The secondary objective was to determine the best regimen of CA .