The Japanese journal of thoracic and cardiovascular surgery : official publication of the Japanese Association for Thoracic Surgery = Nihon Kyōbu Geka Gakkai zasshi
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Jpn. J. Thorac. Cardiovasc. Surg. · Dec 1998
Case Reports[A case of constrictive pericarditis with atrial fibrillation after mitral valve repair and Maze III procedure].
We report a case of constrictive pericarditis with atrial fibrillation after mitral valve repair and the Maze III procedure. A 66-year-old male underwent mitral valve repair and the Maze procedure for mitral valve regurgitation and chronic atrial fibrillation. About 4 months after discharge, he suffered from shortness of breath. ⋯ Total pericardiectomy alone may not convert the rhythm to sinus rhythm in patients with constrictive pericarditis and chronic atrial fibrillation. In this case, atrial fibrillation converted to sinus rhythm during the procedure. This case report suggests that adequate unloading of atrial pressures is necessary for the maintenance of sinus rhythm in patients who have undergone the Maze procedure.