1. Study objects
This study retrospectively analyzed 289 patients with non-valvular PAF who were treated at the Department of Cardiology, Changzhou First People’s Hospital and Wu Jin Hospital from January 2017 to December 2020. All patients received CPVA treatment for the first time. There were 177 male patients and 112 female patients. PAF was defined as the AF occurrence that terminated spontaneously within 7 days, most of which could terminate within 24 hours. Exclusion criteria: (1) Patients with history of organic heart diseases such as coronary heart disease, hypertensive heart disease, cardiomyopathy, congenital heart disease, etc.; (2) Patients with clinical signs and symptoms of cardiac insufficiency and evidence of cardiac insufficiency in preoperative echocardiography [left ventricular ejection fraction less than 53%]; (3) Patients with primary mitral valve involvement, such as endocarditis , rheumatic valvular disease, chordae or papillary muscle rupture, congenital malformation or mitral valve ring calcification; (4) Patients were <18 or > 80 years old; (5) Patients with left atrial appendage emptying velocity (LAAV) <40cm/s, as measured by transesophageal echocardiography; (6) Patients with worsened MR after postoperative sinus rhythm was recovered; (7) Patients with history of thoracotomy; (8) Patients with bleeding diathesis or intolerance to heparin and anticoagulant drugs; (9) Patients with liver and kidney dysfunction, respiratory diseases, hyperthyroidism, and electrolyte disorders. All patients signed written informed consent. This study was in compliance with the ”Declaration of Helsinki” and was approved by the Scientific Ethics Committee of Soochow University.