PV-Isolation With the Cryoballoon Versus RF:a Randomized Controlled Prospective Non-inferiority Trial (FreezeAF)

This study is designed as a randomized, controlled, prospective, non-inferiority clinical trial, where the efficacy and safety of the cryoballoon ablation system (CE certificated) will be compared to the standard ablation technique (segmental isolation of the pulmonary veins) with radiofrequency energy. The primary study aim is to investigate whether the new cryoballoon ablation catheter system (Arctic Front CryoAblation Catheters, FlexCath Steerable Sheath, CryoCath Technologies Inc., Montreal, Canada) is at least as effective as radiofrequency (RF) segmental isolation in electrically disconnecting the pulmonary veins (PV) for the treatment of paroxysmal atrial fibrillation (AF) with respect to the absence of atrial arrhythmias without persistent complications after six and twelve months. Furthermore, the differences in terms of procedural complications such as pulmonary vein stenosis, phrenic nerve injuries, cerebrovascular accidents (CVA), pericardial tamponade, pain scores during the procedure, levels of cardiac inflammatory markers are compared between the treatment groups. The short and long-term clinical success as well as the costs of both systems will also be evaluated.