Methods
We studied consecutive patients undergoing AF ablation at our center.
The study cohort was divided into pre- vs. post-COVID groups. The
pre-COVID cohort included ablations performed during 1 year before the
COVID-19 pandemic; pre-ablation TEE was used routinely to evaluate LAA
thrombus in high-risk patients. Post-COVID cohort included ablations
performed during the 1 year after the COVID-19 pandemic; pre-ablation CT
was performed in all patients, with TEE performed only in patients with
LAA thrombus by CT imaging. The demographics, clinical history, imaging,
and ablation characteristics, and peri-procedural cerebrovascular events
(CVE) were recorded.