Cardiology>>>>>Arrythmias
Question 24#

A 72 year old man with symptomatic persistent atrial fibrillation is admitted for pulmonary vein isolation.
Which one of the following statements is most likely to be true?

A. The risk of stroke is around 5%
B. The chance of successful ablation of the arrhythmia is around 90% at 1 year
C. The chance of successful ablation is higher for persistent AF than for paroxysmal AF
D. The risk of cardiac tamponade is around 5%
E. The risk of pulmonary vein stenosis is around 5%

Correct Answer is D

Comment:

The risk of stroke is around 1%. The risk of pulmonary vein stenosis/occlusion is around 2%. The success rates reported in the literature for persistent AF ablation are 55–80% at 1 year (this includes some patients who have had more than one procedure). The success rate for PAF ablation is higher at 70–90% at 1 year. Cardiac tamponade usually occurs during or very soon after the procedure, and rates as high as 6% have been reported.