Current evidence on the safety of percutaneous endoscopic laser balloon pulmonary vein isolation for atrial fibrillation shows there are serious but well‑recognised complications. Evidence on efficacy is adequate in quantity and quality to support the use of this procedure provided that standard arrangements are in place for clinical governance, consent and audit. Find out what standard arrangements mean on the NICE interventional procedures guidance page.
Clinicians should ensure that patients fully understand the potential complications, the uncertainty about the success of the procedure in the short term and the risk of recurrent atrial fibrillation. In addition, the use of NICE's information for the public is recommended.
Patient selection and treatment should be carried out only by interventional cardiologists with expertise in electrophysiology and experience of doing complex ablation procedures.
This procedure should be done only in units with arrangements for emergency cardiac surgical support.
Clinicians should enter details about all patients having percutaneous endoscopic laser balloon pulmonary vein isolation for atrial fibrillation onto the UK Central Cardiac Audit Database and review local clinical outcomes.