Atrial arrhythmias resistant to medical therapy are still a common indication 
for ablation of the normal atrioventricular conduction pathway (Tawara node and 
His Bundle). However, the development of catheter techniques of intra-atrial 
ablation to destroy arrhythmogenic myocardial zones enables radical cure of the 
arrhythmias with the respect of the nodo-hisian pathway. With respect to common 
flutter, a number of series, including our own, show a 50 to 75% long-term 
success rate. We believe that a very high success rate in the ablation of 
flutter will probably be achieved in a reproducible manner but this will require 
a more accurate understanding of the tachycardia circuit and technological 
developments allowing controlled radio-frequency destruction of bigger atrial 
myocardial zone. Experience of radio-frequency ablation atrial of atrial 
extrasystoles is more limited than that of flutter and there are fewer published 
series. Globally, catheter ablation of atrial tachycardia remains a more 
difficult and a less well codified procedure than that of accessory pathways or 
of intra-nodal reentry. Radio-frequency ablation in this indication is not 
without danger in view of the thinness of the atrial wall. We believe that 
radio-frequency catheter ablation for atrial arrhythmias should, for the moment, 
be reserved for centres specialised in the techniques of electro-physiological 
investigation and ablation.