Programmed electrical (nerve) stimulation and extensive left atrial denervation in patients with paroxysmal atrial fibrillation

In this issue of Heart Rhythm Journal, Kim et al1 report a prospective trial (ClinicalTrials.gov identifier NCT02487654) of patients with paroxysmal atrial fibrillation (AF) undergoing catheter ablation. The 102 patients were randomized to undergo pulmonary vein isolation (PVI) or map-guided left atrial (LA) denervation without PVI. Patients undergoing PVI required significantly more ablation time as compared with patients undergoing map-guided LA denervation (38 ± 14 minutes vs 23 ± 10 minutes; P < .0001).