Risk and benefit of extrapulmonary vein ablation in atrial fibrillation

Purpose of reviewThis review aims to summarize the recent development, benefit, and safety of extrapulmonary vein ablation for atrial fibrillation.Recent findingStudies have shown that extrapulmonary vein ablation can help maintain normal sinus rhythm for patients with persistent atrial fibrillation. As prior strategies targeting anatomical lines and triggers are well utilized, novel techniques for substrate mapping have been rapidly developing. These strategies are well tolerated and could be chosen based on patients' conditions and physicians' experience.Extrapulmonary vein ablation could be safely and effectively performed for patients with atrial fibrillation. It provides further consolidation of normal sinus rhythm.