2026 AF Symposium

AF Symposium Abstracts—More Reports—Vol. 3

Volume 3 picks up where my first two 2026 AF Symposium Abstracts summaries left off. (Here’s a link to the 2026 AF Symposium page where you will find my first two reports.)

AF Symposium Abstracts are concise summaries with a wealth of the latest research. This year there were 103 abstracts. In general, abstracts are non-refereed (non-peer-reviewed) presentations and are often the work of a single medical center or hospital and may have a small number of patients/test subjects.

3.1 Is Your Watchman or Amulet Occlusion Device Leaking?—A Novel Use of the Talisman Device Closes Leaks Which Could Cause Strokes

The Amplatzer Talisman PFO is designed to close a Patent Foramen Ovale, a flap-like hole between the heart’s upper chambers that fails to close naturally after birth.

One thing you don’t want as an A-Fib patient is for your Left Atrium Appendage (LAA) occlusion device to have a significant leak. This could release a clot and bring on a stroke—which is why you got an occluder in the first place.

If this occurs, a novel use of the Amplatzer Talisman PFO (Abbott) device is to insert it in the leak area and close it off. [This is not the same as the Amplatzer Amulet device.] (p. 75, Joseph Michael-Salami, AFS2026-59, Submission Number 2303071)

3.2 Having an Ablation for Persistent A-Fib? Ablating the Left Atrium Septum May Be the Key

If you have Persistent A-Fib, ablating the Left Septum area in addition to the pulmonary vein ablation (PVI) may be the key to getting you back into normal sinus rhythm and maintaining sinus rhythm over the long-term.

This was concluded by researchers in a long-term study of 174 patients with Persistent A-Fib undergoing a pulmonary vein ablation. This does require complete elimination of all Left Septum potentials. Otherwise, your ablation may cause more heart rhythm problems. [If you are having a PVI, talk to your doctors about ablating the Left Septum as well.] (p. 90, Yae Min Park, AFS2026-74, Submission Number 2288693)

3.3  Consider a Concomitant Procedure for Catheter Ablation with Left Atrium Appendage Occlusion. It’s Safer, More Convenient, and Just As Effective

Two procedures or one? You can have a Pulmonary Vein Isolation (PVI) ablation, then later have a Left Atrium Appendage device installed (sequential). But having them done concomitantly is safer (and more convenient). Bleeding risk is less with major bleeding occurring about half as often in the concomitant subgroup. However, stroke risk was similar.

[But don’t wait for a concomitant procedure! Don’t risk a stroke or having to live dependent on anticoagulant drugs. Go ahead and have an occlusion device like the Watchman installed rather than waiting.] (p. 91, James Freeman, AFS2026-75, Submission Number 2295171)

3.4 Exposing the Invisible—Improving Ablation With Real-Time EGM Mapping

An electrogram (EGM) produces recordings from inside the heart that produce precise, high-amplitude signals.

Traditionally, imaging during catheter ablation uses fluoroscopy or 3D mapping. In this study real-time EGM analytics were used.

The Platelet Function Analyzer (Siemens) along with increased EGM amplitude were able to detect missed or incompletely unablated PFA tissue invisible to traditional imaging. These areas of high amplitude EGM were then ablated, thereby improving patient outcomes.

EGM amplitude mapping exposes residual conduction that otherwise may evade detection by existing mappings or imaging tools. (p. 62, Josip Katic, AFS2026-46, Submission Number 2294821)

3.5 There’s a New Left Atrium Appendage (LAA) Closure Device In Town—Pigtail Lariat

The LARIAT occlusion device (Atricure) has been used effectively for LAA closure. The design, though, is perceived as complex requiring an endo (inside the heart) and an epicardial (outside the heart) magnetic rail system to deliver the Lariat to close off the LAA.

Modified Ligation Approach: In a twenty center study, 86 patients underwent a LAA ligation modified approach using only a “pigtail” LAA angiogram catheter (and its guidewire). It’s curved, flexible catheter is easier to navigate within the heart to guide the suture-delivering LARIAT to the LAA. It acts like a “lasso” placed around the base of the LAA to cut it off from the heart’s blood supply. This “pigtail-only modified LAA ligation approach is feasible, safe, and acutely effective.”  (p, 66, Dhanunjaya Lakkireddy, AFS2026-50, Submission Number 2299926)

3.6 Got A-Fib With a High CHA2DS2-VASc score? Pulsed Field Ablation Can Work For You

Pulsed Field Ablation (PFA) has enabled Atrial Fibrillation patients with complex comorbidities (such as high CHA2DS2-VASc score, hypertension, diabetes, obesity, and sleep apnea) to undergo treatment.

The Pentaspline PFA catheter with 122 gold electrodes (Farawave, Boston Scientific)

A sub-analysis of the global FARADISE registry evaluated the safety of PFA for patients with elevated risk factors. Patients with a non-paroxysmal A-Fib diagnosis were treated at 48 centers located in 21 countries. A-Fib Patients received a Pulsed Field Ablation (PFA) with a Pentaspline PFA catheter (Farawave, Boston Scientific) with 1 year follow-up.

The PFA ablation was found to be safe, even for those with more comorbidities and a higher risk of stroke and reinforce it as a safe treatment option.  (p.106, Johan Vjgen, AF2026-91, Submission Number 2278488)

3.7 Don’t Wait To Get a Catheter Ablation—A Longer Wait Predicts Recurrence of A-Fib

In a study from the Un. of Kansas Medical Center, 2,905 patients who received a catheter ablation were followed for up to 3.6 years. Longer pre-ablation A-Fib duration was associated with higher recurrence rate following first-time catheter ablation, particularly among patients with non-paroxysmal A-Fib.

Researchers concluded catheter ablation should be considered early, especially within the first year of diagnosis. (p. 101, Rahel Sileshi, AFS2026-86, Submission Number 2298173)

Abstracts Not Online: While printed in the 2026 AF Symposium Program, these abstracts are not published online. But if they become available, I’ll update this page with links.

Return to 2026 AF Symposium Reports
or Archive of AF Symposium Reports
If you find any errors on this page, email us. Y  Last updated: Friday, April 10, 2026

Related Posts