Study population
Ninety-four paroxysmal AF (PAF) patients (68 male and 26 female, mean age ± standard deviation = 66 ± 10 years) with SVC potentials who underwent AF ablations were included in this study. PAF was defined as AF with duration < 7 days. Those who underwent cardiac implantable electrophysiological device implantation were excluded from this study. A contrast-enhanced computed tomography (CT) scan (Revolution CT. GE Healthcare, Chicago, Illinois, USA) was conducted prior to the ablation to estimate the intracardiac thrombus and SVC area. Antiarrhythmic drugs were discontinued for at least five half-lives prior to the ablation. This study was executed according to the protocol that was approved by the Ethnic committee at the Kimitsu Central Hospital.