Circumferential Versus Ganglionated Plexi Ablation for Atrial Fibrillation (AF)

The investigators have recently shown that anatomic ganglionated plexi (GP) ablation is inferior to circumferential pulmonary vein (PV) ablation for the treatment of paroxysmal AF. In this study, however, 26% of patients subjected to GP ablation alone without circumferential lesions were free of AF-recurrence up to one year after the ablation procedure. The investigators hypothesized that a combination of circumferential ablation with high-frequency-stimulation-identified GP ablation is superior to conventional circumferential ablation for the prevention of recurrences of paroxysmal atrial fibrillation (AF). The investigators are, therefore, conducting a randomized study comparing conventional circumferential ablation to a combination of circumferential ablation plus specific right and left atrial GP ablation in patients with drug-refractory paroxysmal AF.