Radiofrequency catheter ablation in a patient with giant left atrium and permanent atrial fibrillation: maintenance of sinus rhythm at 1 year.

Radiofrequency catheter ablation of paroxysmal atrial fibrillation is now being performed routinely with acceptable safety and success rates. Ablation of chronic atrial fibrillation is still in the evolutionary stage. We report a case in which radiofrequency catheter ablation for permanent atrial fibrillation was done in a patient with rheumatic heart disease and a grossly enlarged left atrium.