Arrhythmias & electrophysiologyCohort study
Comparative analysis of anaesthesia modalities in pulmonary vein isolation: insights from a prospective multicentre registry
- Prospective cohort study
- multicentre
- registry-based
- 14 centres
Authors' conclusion
Conscious sedation is as safe and effective as general anaesthesia in AF ablation, particularly with cryoablation. The choice of anaesthesia appears to be driven by patient characteristics and institutional factors without affecting long-term outcomes such as AF recurrence or complication rates.
Study context
- Population
- Patients undergoing Pulmonary Vein Isolation (PVI) for Atrial Fibrillation (AF), Israeli Catheter Ablation Registry, 14 centres, January 2019–December 2021Cryoballoon ablation (CBA) in 84%
- Participants
- 1,002 patients
- Exposure
- Conscious sedation vs general anaesthesia for PVI
- Outcome
- AF recurrence, procedural complications and success rates
- Follow-up
- 24-month follow-up
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
AF recurrence · 12 and 24 months
AF recurrence at 12 months
AF recurrence at 24 months
Observational data: associations, not effects.
Further findings
12-month rehospitalization
12-month rehospitalization
- No significant difference
Complete PVI
- Complete PVI achieved in 91% of patients; comparable success rates between conscious sedation (CS) and general anaesthesia (GA)
CBA subgroup (sensitivity analysis): AF recurrence, complications, procedural duration
- No significant differences between CS and GA
- sensitivity analysis
Original publication
Comparative analysis of anaesthesia modalities in pulmonary vein isolation: insights from a prospective multicentre registry. Europace. Published 17 February 2025. doi:10.1093/europace/euae301
Summarised from the published abstract; every number is checked against it