Atrial Fibrillation Ablation

Success Rates for Pulmonary Vein Isolation at Mayo Clinic

In 90 to 95 percent of cases, the heart arrhythmia is not present at the end of the ablation procedure. However, in patients who have focal atrial fibrillation, the arrhythmia tends to return. People who have occasional atrial fibrillation may have a 20 percent chance, after the ablation procedure, that the atrial fibrillation may reoccur.

For chronic or persistent arrhythmia or if other heart disease is present, the recurrence rate could be 30 percent. Two or three catheter ablation procedures may be required to permanently eliminate the abnormal heart rhythm. There is a small chance the ablation can make the heart arrhythmia worse.