Keywords
Efficacy
Safety
Persistent Atrial Fibrillation
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Abstract
Objective: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of laser balloon ablation in the treatment of patients with persistent atrial fibrillation. Methods: This descriptive, integrative literature review was conducted in the MEDLINE (PubMed), Scientific Electronic Library Online (SciElo), the National Library of Medicine platform, EMBASE, Scopus, Web of Science, and Cochrane databases. The study used the methodological steps proposed by Whittemore and Knafl and was based on the PICO question: Can laser balloon ablation be considered an effective and safe method for the treatment of patients with persistent atrial fibrillation? The descriptors "laser balloon ablation," "LBA," "efficacy," "safety," "atrial fibrillation," "AF," and "persistent" were used. Results: Eleven studies were selected, from which data related to procedure time, procedure-related complications, and long-term efficacy were extracted. The procedure time ranged from 77±16 to 226 minutes; the most frequent complication was phrenic nerve palsy; efficacy ranged from 68.5% to 81.1% over a 1-year period. Final considerations: Laser balloon ablation shows promise, in terms of efficacy and safety, for the treatment of patients with persistent atrial fibrillation.
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