Adjunctive Right Atrial Ablation for Persistent Atrial Fibrillation With Right Atrial Enlargement

Long-term persistent atrial fibrillation (PerAF) may induce right atrial (RA) enlargement and subsequently atrial functional tricuspid regurgitation (AF-TR) at the absence of structural valvular lesion, abnormal right ventricular geometry and function. Enlarged RA and significant AF-TR may aggravate atrial remodeling and contribute to AF sustaining. Previous studies showed that RA enlargement was closely related to the recurrence of AF after catheter ablation. However, unlike the left atrium, the RA mechanism has been poorly studied and generally excluded from the therapeutic target. In an animal model of right heart disease, the RA enlargement associated with re-entrant activity serves as the prominent mechanism of AF genesis. Using sophisticated mapping techniques, recent study has confirmed that up to one-third of AF drivers are located in the right atrium. Furthermore, our previous case report also showed that the majority of patients with right atrial appendage-driven AF have concomitant RA enlargement. Therefore, it is plausible to hypothesize that the presence of RA enlargement represents the necessity of adjunctive RA ablation. Currently, the value and timing of RA intervention are still under debate. Therefore, the purpose of the present study was to testify whether patients with PerAF and RA enlargement may benefit from adjunctive RA ablation