title: Left atrial isolation associated with mitral valve operations.
abstract: Surgical isolation of the left atrium was performed for the treatment of chronic atrial fibrillation secondary to valvular disease in 100 patients who underwent mitral valve operations. From May 1989 to September 1991, 62 patients underwent mitral valve operations (group I); 19, mitral valve operations and DeVega tricuspid annuloplasty (group II); 15, mitral and aortic operations (group III); and 4, mitral and aortic operations and DeVega tricuspid annuloplasty (group IV). Left atrial isolation was performed, prolonging the usual left paraseptal atriotomy toward the left fibrous trigone anteriorly and the posteromedial commissure posteriorly. The incision was conducted a few millimeters apart from the mitral valve annulus, and cryolesions were placed at the edges to ensure complete electrophysiological isolation of the left atrium. Operative mortality accounted for 3 patients (3%). In 79 patients (81.4%) sinus rhythm recovered and persisted until discharge from the hospital. No differences were found between the groups (group I, 80.7%; group II, 68.5%; group III, 86.7%; group IV, 75%; p = not significant). Three late deaths (3.1%) were registered. Long-term results show persistence of sinus rhythm in 71% of group I, 61.2% of group II, 85.8% of group III, and 100% of group IV. The unique risk factor for late recurrence of atrial fibrillation was found to be preoperative atrial fibrillation longer than 6 months. Due to the satisfactory success rate in recovering sinus rhythm, we suggest performing left atrial isolation in patients with chronic atrial fibrillation undergoing valvular operations.
authors.affiliation: Cattedra di Cardiochirurgia, Università degli Studi di Pavia and IRCCS Policlinico S. Matteo, Pavia, Italy.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Graffigna
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Pagani
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Minzioni
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Salerno
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Viganò
mesh_terms: D000206:Actuarial Analysis; D001281:Atrial Fibrillation / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery*; D006348:Cardiac Surgical Procedures / Q000379:methods / Q000401:mortality / Q000592:standards*; D004562:Electrocardiography; D004594:Electrophysiology; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D017052:Hospital Mortality; D006785:Hospitals, University; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008944:Mitral Valve Insufficiency / Q000150:complications* / Q000601:surgery; D008946:Mitral Valve Stenosis / Q000150:complications* / Q000601:surgery; D012008:Recurrence; D012307:Risk Factors; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D016019:Survival Analysis; D013536:Suture Techniques