Three-Month Blanking Period After A-Fib Ablation Should Be Shortened, Researchers Say

PracticeUpdate: [prac.co]

That's always been my impression. I don't think recurrence in the first 30 days is meaningful, but after that I don't think it bodes well. By no means is it always the case, but I think it trends that way.

I agree, and posted research to that effect about a year and a half ago. The article said that AF and PACs in the first 6 weeks don't predict a poor outcome as much as later runs in the last half of the blanking period do. I have assumed this to be correct, notwithstanding my own index failure at just six whole days, and a run of AF for about 12 hours at the two week mark after my second ablation...which never did repeat. I have now gone 14 months free of any AF or PACs.

But from a personal standpoint, when I see people going to the Mayo Community Connect forums, or who come here, and say they are 6-14 weeks post ablation and still have symptoms or outright ECG evidence of PACs and AF, I feel badly having to tell them what I take to be an honest truth. I am careful to point out that individual cases vary, sometimes by weeks, but that generally late onset of AF in the blanking period does not offer a salutary prognosis.

And, in fact, most of our EPs take us off antiarrhythmic meds about 2 months post ablation, demonstrating their clinical experience with recurrences.