Surgery as an effective nonpharmacological mode of treatment of atrial fibrillation resistant to standard therapy.
There are two surgical methods for atrial fibrillation (AF) treatment: Maze and corridoring procedures. The first one prevents AF occurrence by performing multiple atriotomies. During the second procedure a corridor between a sino-atrial and the AV node is created together with an electrical isolation of the atria. During 1992 and 1993 seven patients, aged 27-55, mean 43-years-old, with recurrent, resistant to standard therapy AF were referred for surgical treatment to our department. Additional diagnoses include: concealed WPW syndrome in 1 patient, atrial septal defect (ASD) in 3 patients, coronary artery disease in 1 patient. Maze procedure was performed solely in 1 patient, in another together with 2 accessory pathways ablation, in 3 patients with ASD closure and in 1 patient with 2 bypass grafts. In one patient corridoring procedure was performed. Normal sinus rhythm was restored in every patient from 7 to 26 days after the procedure. No surgical complications were noted during the postoperative period. Mechanical function of the atria was documented with echo Doppler 2-6 weeks after the operation. No evidence for AF recurrence was noted within 3-14 months (mean 5 months) of follow-up. The preliminary results of Maze and corridoring procedures are encouraging.
Suwalski
K
K
National Institute of Cardiology, Warsaw, Poland.
Pytkowski
M
M
Zelazny
P
P
Majstrak
F
F
Kaszczynski
T
T
Pasierski
T
T
Rzaczyńska
M
M
Wojciechowski
D
D
D000328:Adult; D001281:Atrial Fibrillation / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery*; D004562:Electrocardiography; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011183:Postoperative Complications