title: Operations for atrial fibrillation.
abstract: Atrial fibrillation is the most common of all sustained cardiac arrhythmias, yet it has no effective medical or surgical therapy. During the past decade, multipoint computerized electrophysiological mapping systems were used to map both experimental and human atrial fibrillation. On the basis of these studies, a new surgical procedure was developed for atrial fibrillation. Between September 25, 1987, and May 1, 1991, this procedure was applied in 22 patients with either paroxysmal atrial flutter (n = 2), paroxysmal atrial fibrillation (n = 11), or chronic atrial fibrillation (n = 9) of 2 to 21 years' duration. All patients were refractory to all antiarrhythmic medications and each patient failed an average of 5.2 drugs preoperatively. There were no operative deaths and all perioperative morbidity resolved. All 22 patients have been cured of atrial fibrillation with surgery alone. One late isolated episode of atrial flutter occurred in a patient who is now receiving encainide. Preservation of atrial transport function has been documented in all of the patients postoperatively and all have experienced marked clinical improvement.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Washington University School of Medicine, Barnes Hospital, St. Louis, MO 63110.
authors.forename: J L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Cox
authors.forename: J P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Boineau
authors.forename: R B
authors.initials: RB
authors.lastname: Schuessler
authors.forename: T B
authors.initials: TB
authors.lastname: Ferguson
authors.forename: M E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Cain
authors.forename: B D
authors.initials: BD
authors.lastname: Lindsay
authors.forename: P B
authors.initials: PB
authors.lastname: Corr
authors.forename: K M
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Kater
authors.forename: D G
authors.initials: DG
authors.lastname: Lappas
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001281:Atrial Fibrillation / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000601:surgery*; D003452:Cryosurgery / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods* / Q000592:standards; D004562:Electrocardiography; D004594:Electrophysiology; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology; D015995:Prevalence