Single ring or four smaller ones.

[David1964]

When I first had PVI RF ablations in the early noughties, I had four little rings burnt around each of the four pulmonary veins. This seemed pretty successful and in combination with Flecainide kept me AF free for ten years. When I had a PVI RF ablation in 2012, they used a large single ring method, enclosing all four PV entrances within the single ring. This held for two years, sans any anti-arrhythmic. I had the same procedure this year. My question is, wouldn't little rings seem more effective? If there is a breach in the large single ring, then it would allow faulty signals from any of the veins to cross. If there is a breach in the little rings, only the signals from that one vein could get through. Any other ablatees got any thoughts on this?

[BobD Volunteer]

I'm not sure about your account of things as I have never heard of that procedure before. Are you confused that maybe they used a cryo balloon to make a SINGLE ring around each PV rather than a line of dots as by RF ablation. Having just been involved with proof reading some new books on ablation your description is not known to me I'm afraid. There is some evidence that cryo ablation does provide a better isolation of the PVs for those with paroxysmal AF but needs additional RF where other sites of rogue impulses are found.

Bob

[Hidden]

When I had my first ablation in 2005, the EP drew what would happen, and that was a ring around a pair of veins instead of an individual ring round each one. He called it a corral. At the time he said this was a new procedure. Worked well on me for a long time is all I can say.

K

[dedeottie in reply to Hidden]

That exactly describes the diagram drawn for me by my E.P. this year. I got the impression he was going to encircle each pair rather than only circle the one or ones that he could see misfiring. I may have misunderstood though.x

[David1964]

Thanks for your replies Bob, Koll and dedeottie. I'm sure that I had the RF ablation as a large single ring. I am interested to read of the work being done in pairs. That's a sort of intermediate solution. Glad it has good results for you Koll. The PVI isolation always works on me, though never permanently. As I say, I'd be happy to try cryoablation in the future.