• Hauw T Sie, Willem P Beukema, Arif Elvan, and Anand R Ramdat Misier.
• Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery and Cardiology, Isala Clinics, Zwolle, The Netherlands. hauw.sie@hccnet.nl
• Ann. Thorac. Surg. 2004 Feb 1; 77 (2): 512-6; discussion 516-7.

BackgroundThe Cox maze procedure is considered an effective surgical treatment of atrial fibrillation in patients with and without organic heart disease. Radiofrequency energy offers an alternative to the complex surgical maze procedure. We used the radiofrequency modified maze III procedure in patients with atrial fibrillation undergoing elective concomitant cardiac surgery. This study evaluated the long-term results of the irrigated radiofrequency ablation to create linear lines of conduction block endocardially.MethodsBetween November 1995 and June 2001, 200 patients with mainly structural heart disease and chronic atrial fibrillation underwent intraoperative radiofrequency linear ablation in both atria with concomitant cardiac surgery.ResultsThe in-hospital mortality rate was 3.5% (7 patients) and during the mean follow-up of 40 months (range, 12 to 80) 27 patients (13.5%) died. Eight patients (4%) were lost from follow-up and complete data were available in 158 survivors. Sinus or atrial rhythm was present in 116 patients (73.4%) and an atrial driven rhythm in 10 patients (6.3%) with an atrioventricular pacemaker. Atrial fibrillation or flutter was documented in 32 patients (20.3%). Antiarrhythmic drugs were used in 49% of survivors who were free of atrial fibrillation or flutter.ConclusionsIntraoperative radiofrequency endocardial ablation is an effective technique to eliminate atrial fibrillation with promising long-term results.

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