Volume 14, Issue 3 , Pages 219-225, July 2002
Combined atrial fibrillation and mitral valve surgery using radiofrequency technology☆
Abstract
Recently, intraoperative radiofrequency ablation of the left atrium combined with mitral valve surgery has become widely used. In our center, 30 patients underwent this combined procedure; median sternotomy was used in 16 patients, and port access was used in 14 patients. At hospital discharge, 18 patients (60%) were no longer in atrial fibrillation, and at 6 months, 19 patients (65%) remained in sinus rhythm. All sinus rhythm patients had a well-defined transmitral A wave detectable by echocardiography. One patient sustained a major stroke. Two patients required pacemaker implantation. Such encouraging preliminary results have triggered worldwide interest in the percutaneous and surgical treatment of atrial fibrillation. However, the excellent long-term results with the classic Cox-Maze III operation have not yet been achieved with these newer approaches. Further basic and clinical research is required before a predictable simple and safe technique can be introduced as a new standard for the surgical treatment of atrial fibrillation in patients with or without structural heart disease. Copyright 2002, Elsevier Science (USA). All rights reserved.
Keywords: Atrial fibrillation, radiofrequency ablation, mitral valve, surgery
☆ Address reprint requests to Francis Wellens, MD, Department of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, Onze-Lieve-Vrouw Clinic, Moorselbaan 164, 9300 Aalst Belgium.
PII: S1043-0679(02)70038-5
Volume 14, Issue 3 , Pages 219-225, July 2002
