Surgical treatment of atrial fibrillation in the beating heart: a novel approach

Up to 50% of patients undergoing mitral valve surgery have concomitant atrial fibrillation. An epicardial approach may offer the benefit of reducing the aortic cross-clamping time and avoiding an undue left atriotomy. During the last year we have been developing a simple technique to reproduce epica...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:	Italian heart journal Vol. 4; no. 12; p. 872
Main Authors:	Manasse, Eric, Barbone, Alessandro, Ghiselli, Simone, Citterio, Enrico, Eusebio, Alessandro, Silvaggio, Giuseppe, Ornaghi, Diego, Gallotti, Roberto
Format:	Journal Article
Language:	English
Published:	Italy 01-12-2003
Subjects:	Atrial Fibrillation - surgery Catheter Ablation - methods Electromagnetic Fields Humans Incidence Microwaves Pericardium - surgery Postoperative Complications - epidemiology Postoperative Complications - etiology Postoperative Complications - prevention & control Reproducibility of Results
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Summary:	Up to 50% of patients undergoing mitral valve surgery have concomitant atrial fibrillation. An epicardial approach may offer the benefit of reducing the aortic cross-clamping time and avoiding an undue left atriotomy. During the last year we have been developing a simple technique to reproduce epicardially the same lesion pattern we had previously achieved endocardially. Two patients with chronic atrial fibrillation received atrial ablation using a microwave energy probe (Flex-10, AFx Inc., Fremont, CA, USA) immediately before undergoing a concomitant cardiac procedure. The procedure is relatively quick to perform and with appropriate care can be conducted with a low risk of perioperative adverse events.
ISSN:	1129-471X