Successful 4-Year Outcome Following Convergent Ablation for Longstanding Persistent Atrial Fibrillation in an Octogenarian – Novel Therapy for an Old Condition in the Very Elderly

The most common age range for Atrial Fibrillation (AF) prevalence over the coming decades will potentially be in those over 75 years old. However, despite widespread recognition of the strong association between AF burden and age, the elderly are under-represented within trials evaluating invasive rhythm control strategies. We report the outcomes of a gentleman in his late eighties that underwent Convergent hybrid ablation for highly symptomatic and longstanding persistent AF. Now four years later and into his nineties, he remains in sinus rhythm and enjoys good cardiac health without the need for anti-arrhythmic drugs or further intervention. To our knowledge, this case report is the oldest patient to have successfully undergone Convergent ablation with enduring sinus rhythm with long-term follow-up, despite significant risk factors for AF recurrence. As the overall population ages, the emergence of this minimally invasive multidisciplinary ablation technique for AF may offer to similar patients benefits over percutaneous ablation strategies alone.