title: Can the maze procedure be combined safely with mitral valve repair?
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The safety of combining mitral valve repair with the maze procedure for chronic atrial fibrillation in the surgical management of patients with mitral valve disease is not well elucidated. We present our operative results regarding mortality and morbidity after such combined surgery. As a comparison, our operative results after mitral valve repair in patients without chronic atrial fibrillation are presented.
  
  
  METHODS
  Between April 1993 and December 1994, 39 patients with chronic atrial fibrillation underwent mitral valve repair and concomitant maze procedure (group 1) at the Iwate Medical University. During the same period, 36 patients with sinus rhythm and one patient with DDD pacemaker underwent mitral valve repair (group 2). In order to evaluate the operative risk, morbidity, and mortality of adding the maze procedure to mitral valve repair, total cardiopulmonary bypass time, aortic cross-clamp time, intraoperative blood loss, intubation period, and duration of ICU stay were compared between the groups.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Total cardiopulmonary bypass time and aortic cross-clamp time in group 1 were longer than in group 2 (174.0 +/- 38.8 min versus 150.1 +/- 54.4 min; p = 0.032, 122.5 +/- 30.7 min versus 95.8 +/- 38.2 min; p = 0.0012). However, the duration of ICU stay, intubation period, and intraoperative blood loss were not different between the groups. There were no hospital deaths in either group. Four patients in group 1, and two patients in group 2 required re-exploration for bleeding (p = NS). Two patients in group 1, and none in group 2 required pacemaker implantation postoperatively (p = NS). Two patients in group 2, and none in group 2 had minor cerebral infarction (p = NS). At hospital discharge, 28 patients in group 1 (72%) and 35 patients (97%) in group 2 were in sinus rhythm.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The maze procedure can be combined with mitral valve repair without adding undue operative risk to patients. Those patients with chronic atrial fibrillation undergoing mitral valve repair may be advised for the possibility of concomitant maze procedure.
authors.affiliation: Third Department of Surgery, Iwate Medical University, Morioka, Japan.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Izumoto
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kawazoe
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kitahara
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Nasu
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Sasaki
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kamata
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Tsuji
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yagi
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D001281:Atrial Fibrillation / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery*; D006348:Cardiac Surgical Procedures / Q000379:methods*; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D002908:Chronic Disease; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007564:Japan / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008943:Mitral Valve / Q000601:surgery*; D008944:Mitral Valve Insufficiency / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery*; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000453:epidemiology*; D011379:Prognosis; D015996:Survival Rate