Radiofrequency and Cryoablation of the Posterior Wall of the Left Atrium

Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the cause of 20% of strokes, and the risk of stroke in a person suffering from this arrhythmia increases by 5 times. Ischemic stroke in patients with AF is often fatal and, compared with stroke of other etiology, leads to the most pronounced disability and more often recurs. Accordingly, the risk of death in patients with AF-related stroke is 2 times higher, and treatment costs increase 1.5 times. The main interventional method of treating AF, available in most medical institutions, is the use of radio frequency and/or cryoenergy to eliminate destructive damage to the left atrium (LA). The aim of this study is to compare two different interventional methods and identify predictors of recurrence in patients with persistent and long-term AF.