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 .
Early complications of pulmonary vein catheter ablation for atrial fibrillation: a multicenter prospective registry on procedural safety.
BACKGROUND Data on the procedural safety of pulmonary vein radiofrequency catheter ablation for atrial fibrillation ( AF ) are as yet scant . OBJECTIVE The aims of the present study were to prospect ively evaluate the incidence of early complications of pulmonary vein ablation for AF in an unselected population of consecutive patients , and to identify possible predictors . METHODS From April 2005 to October 2006 , data from 1,011 consecutive patients who were undergoing radiofrequency catheter ablation for every type of AF in 10 Italian centers were collected . All complications occurring from the admission of the patient up to the 30th day were considered . RESULTS No procedure-related death was observed . Complications occurred in 40 patients ( 3.9 % ) : 12 ( 1.2 % ) had peripheral vascular complications , 8 ( 0.8 % ) had conservatively treated pericardial effusion , 6 ( 0.6 % ) had cardiac tamponade ( successfully drained ) , 5 ( 0.5 % ) had cerebral embolisms , 4 ( 0.4 % ) presented pulmonary vein stenosis > 50 % , and 5 ( 0.5 % ) presented other isolated adverse events . History of coronary artery disease ( odds ratio 5,603 , 95 % confidence interval 1,559 to 20,139 , P < .008 ) characterized patients who presented with hemorrhagic complications . CONCLUSION Early complications of pulmonary vein catheter ablation seem to be fewer than in the early years of AF ablation , but still occur in 3.9 % of procedures
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 .