Conclusion In patients with paroxysmal atrial fibrillation  , cryoballoon and radiofrequency ablation produce similar results in terms of freedom from recurrent atrial fibrillation or atrial tachyarrhythmias but with a different safety profile , being cryoballoon ablation less associated with cardiac complications but more likely to cause phrenic nerve palsy
Aims To perform an up date d meta- analysis to assess efficacy , safety and technical performance of pulmonary vein isolation using cryoballoon or radiofrequency catheter ablation in patients with paroxysmal or persistent atrial fibrillation .
Two-Year Follow-Up after Contact Force Sensing Radiofrequency Catheter and Second-Generation Cryoballoon Ablation for Paroxysmal Atrial Fibrillation: A Comparative Single Centre Study
Background . There are little comparative data on catheter ablation of paroxysmal atrial fibrillation ( AF ) using the contact force radiofrequency ( CF-RF ) catheter versus the second-generation cryoballoon ( CB2 ) . Methods and results . This is a single center , retrospective , nonr and omized study of 98 patients with symptomatic , drug-refractory paroxysmal AF who underwent their first PVI ablation using either the CB2 ( n = 40 ) or CF-RF ( n = 58 ) . The mean age was 60 years with 63 % men , a mean LA size of 42 mm . The procedure duration ( 74 ± 17 versus 120 ± 49 minutes p < 0.05 ) was shorter for CB2 group ; the fluoroscopy time ( 14 ± 17 versus 16 ± 5 minutes , p = 0.45 ) was similar . Complete PVI was achieved in 96 % of patients with RF-CF and 98 % with CB2 . Phrenic nerve palsies ( 2 transient and 1 persistent ) occurred exclusively in the CB2 group and 1 severe , nonlethal complication ( pericardial tamponade ) occurred in the CF-RF group . At 24-month follow-up , the success rate , defined as freedom from AF/atrial tachycardia ( AT ) after a single procedure without antiarrhythmic drug , was comparable in CF-RF group and CB2 group ( 65.5 % versus 67 % , resp . , log rank p = 0.54 ) . Conclusion . Both the CB2 and the RF-CF ablation appeared safe ; the success rate at 2 years was comparable between both technologies
Conclusion In patients with paroxysmal atrial fibrillation  , cryoballoon and radiofrequency ablation produce similar results in terms of freedom from recurrent atrial fibrillation or atrial tachyarrhythmias but with a different safety profile , being cryoballoon ablation less associated with cardiac complications but more likely to cause phrenic nerve palsy
Aims To perform an up date d meta- analysis to assess efficacy , safety and technical performance of pulmonary vein isolation using cryoballoon or radiofrequency catheter ablation in patients with paroxysmal or persistent atrial fibrillation .