Ganglion Plexus Ablation in Advanced Atrial Fibrillation: The AFACT Study

• Published in: Journal of the American College of Cardiology Vol. 68; no. 11; pp. 1155 - 1165
• Main Authors: Driessen, Antoine H G, Berger, Wouter R, Krul, Sébastien P J, van den Berg, Nicoline W E, Neefs, Jolien, Piersma, Femke R, Chan Pin Yin, Dean R P P, de Jong, Jonas S S G, van Boven, WimJan P, de Groot, Joris R
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Elsevier Limited 13.09.2016
• Subjects: Ablation Techniques - methods; Aged; Anticoagulants; Atrial Fibrillation - surgery; Cardiac arrhythmia; Cardiac Surgical Procedures - methods; Cardiology; Cardiovascular disease; Catheters; Female; Ganglia, Autonomic - surgery; Humans; Male; Medical imaging; Middle Aged; Mortality; Patients; Pneumonia; Prospective Studies; Studies; Surgery; Thoracoscopy; minimally invasive surgery; pulmonary vein isolation; atrial tachycardia
• ISSN: 0735-1097; 1558-3597
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jacc.2016.06.036

Patients with long duration of atrial fibrillation (AF), enlarged atria, or failed catheter ablation have advanced AF and may require more extensive treatment than pulmonary vein isolation. The aim of this study was to investigate the efficacy and safety of additional ganglion plexus (GP) ablation in patients undergoing thoracoscopic AF surgery. Patients with paroxysmal AF underwent pulmonary vein isolation. Patients with persistent AF also received additional lines (Dallas lesion set). Patients were randomized 1:1 to additional epicardial ablation of the 4 major GPs and Marshall's ligament (GP group) or no extra ablation (control) and followed every 3 months for 1 year. After a 3-month blanking period, all antiarrhythmic drugs were discontinued. Two hundred forty patients with a mean AF duration of 5.7 ± 5.1 years (59% persistent) were included. Mean procedure times were 185 ± 54 min and 168 ± 54 min (p = 0.015) in the GP (n = 117) and control groups (n = 123), respectively. GP ablation abated 100% of evoked vagal responses; these responses remained in 87% of control subjects. Major bleeding occurred in 9 patients (all in the GP group; p < 0.001); 8 patients were managed thoracoscopically, and 1 underwent sternotomy. Sinus node dysfunction occurred in 12 patients in the GP group and 4 control subjects (p = 0.038), and 6 pacemakers were implanted (all in the GP group; p = 0.013). After 1 year, 4 patients had died (all in the GP group, not procedure related; p = 0.055), and 9 were lost to follow-up. Freedom from AF recurrence in the GP and control groups was not statistically different whether patients had paroxysmal or persistent AF. At 1 year, 82% of patients were not taking antiarrhythmic drugs. GP ablation during thoracoscopic surgery for advanced AF has no detectable effect on AF recurrence but causes more major adverse events, major bleeding, sinus node dysfunction, and pacemaker implantation. (Atrial Fibrillation Ablation and Autonomic Modulation via Thoracoscopic Surgery [AFACT]; NCT01091389).