# Long-Term Outcomes after Convergent Procedure for Atrial Fibrillation

## TL;DR

This study examines the long-term effectiveness of the convergent procedure for treating atrial fibrillation, finding that most patients maintained normal heart rhythm but some needed additional treatments.

## Contribution

The study provides novel long-term follow-up data (up to 8.3 years) on the convergent procedure's effectiveness in maintaining sinus rhythm in atrial fibrillation patients.

## Key findings

- At long-term follow-up, 65.5% of patients maintained sinus rhythm.
- Additional radiofrequency ablations were performed in 32.8% of patients.
- Age, BMI, and left atrial volume index were linked to increased AF recurrence risk.

## Abstract

Background: The aim of this single-center retrospective study was to evaluate the long-term outcomes after the convergent procedure (CP) for treatment of AF. Methods: We analyzed the outcomes of patients that underwent CP from January 2009 until July 2020. A total of 119 patients with paroxysmal AF (23.5%), persistent AF (5.9%), or long-standing persistent AF (70.6%) that attended long-term follow-up were included. The outcomes were assessed 1 year after the CP and at long-term follow-up. At the 1-year follow-up, rhythm and AF burden were assessed for patients with an implantable loop recorder (61.2%). For others, rhythm was assessed by clinical presentation and 12-lead ECG. At long-term follow-up, patients with sinus rhythm (SR) or an unclear history were assessed with a 7-day Holter ECG monitor, and AF burden was determined. Long-term success was defined as freedom from AF/atrial flutter (AFL) with SR on a 12-lead ECG and AF/AFL burden < 1% on the 7-day Holter ECG. Results: At 1-year follow-up, 91.4% of patients had SR and 76.1% of patients had AF/AFL burden < 1%. At long-term follow-up (8.3 ± 2.8 years), 65.5% of patients had SR and 53.8% of patients had AF/AFL burden < 1% on the 7-day Holter ECG. Additional RFAs were performed in 32.8% of patients who had AF or AFL burden < 1%. At long-term follow-up, age, body mass index, and left atrial volume index were associated with an increased risk of AF recurrence. Conclusions: CP resulted in high long-term probability of SR maintenance. During long-term follow-up, additional RFAs were required to maintain SR in a substantial number of patients.