CB ablation procedure
atrial appendage thrombus
All patients received a detailed preoperative evaluation, including medical history, physical examination, necessary laboratory examination, 12-lead ECG, cardiac ultrasound, left atrial and PV 3D reconstruction CT examination to understand the anatomical structure of the left atrium and PV. Left atrial appendage thrombus was excluded by transesophageal 3D echocardiography. All patients knew the indications and risks of the operation before the operation and signed the operation written consent form. The flow chart of this study is shown in Fig. All the procedures were conducted in local anesthesia with mild sedation. After access to the LA with the Brockenborough needle and an 8.5-French Swartz sheath (SL1; St. Jude Medical, MN), a 28-mm CB catheter (Arctic Front Advance; Medtronic Inc., MN) was introduced into the LA via a 12F steerable sheath (FlexCath; Medtronic Inc.).