An apparatus and method for treating atrial fibrillation is described that
uses a vascular stent deployed within the pulmonary veins of the left
atrium. The stent may be used alone or in combination with chemical,
thermal, electrical, or radioactive energy sources to ablate myocardial
tissue residing in the pulmonary veins. The targeted myocardial tissue in
the pulmonary veins will have been identified as the source of initiation
and/or sustenance of atrial fibrillation. Ablation therapy using the
pulmonary venous stent stops discharges from ectopic foci in the vein or
alternatively stops impulses from reaching the left atrium. The deployed
stent can then be left in place to prevent stenosis of the vein.