Limitations
This is a retrospective study, with all the limits related to this type
of design.
The small sample size of our population likely prevented reaching
statistically significant results. This was due to the fact that, during
the COVID-19 pandemic, unlike a “normal” year, the majority of
elective AF ablation procedures have been canceled to allow the
conversion of our Cardiology ward to a COVID-19 ward, with the
deployment of cardiologists and electrophysiologists to the care of
COVID-19. However, we believe that our results show that the use of
dexmedetomidine without anesthesiologist support is feasible and safe,
maybe safer than propofol. Our data need confirmation in a larger study.