title: The surgical management of atrial fibrillation.
abstract: Atrial fibrillation is the most common dysrhythmia encountered in clinical practice. For some patients, satisfactory rate control is not possible by pharmacologic means. This led us to develop a surgical approach to its cure, which in turn has led to a deeper understanding of the electrophysiologic basis of atrial fibrillation and to the development of a surgical procedure that is highly effective in restoring sinus rhythm with an acceptable mortality and morbidity. We review these findings as well as the clinical results obtained with the Maze procedure.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Washington University School of Medicine, Barnes-Jewish Hospital, St. Louis, Missouri 63110, USA.
authors.forename: J L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Cox
authors.forename: T M
authors.initials: TM
authors.lastname: Sundt
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001281:Atrial Fibrillation / Q000209:etiology / Q000401:mortality / Q000601:surgery*; D004562:Electrocardiography; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006329:Heart Conduction System / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012008:Recurrence; D015996:Survival Rate; D013611:Tachycardia, Atrioventricular Nodal Reentry / Q000209:etiology / Q000401:mortality / Q000601:surgery; D016896:Treatment Outcome