title: [Surgical therapy of chronic atrial fibrillation with the "Cox/Maze-III-operation"].
abstract: We examined the results of simultaneous surgical treatment of chronic atrial fibrillation using a Cox/Maze III operation during mitral valve surgery (n = 12), atrial secundum defect closure (n = 1), combined operation (mitral valve and atrial secundum; n = 1) and thrombectomy from the left atrium (n = 1). Mean preoperative atrial fibrillation was 5.1 years (range 0.5-12 years). In the mean follow-up period of 13.1 months (1-24 months), 14 patients (93%) had sinus rhythm.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  (1) The surgical treatment of chronic atrial fibrillation using a Cox/Maze III operation can be performed without increased perioperative or postoperative risks; (2) Cox/Maze III operation represents an effective surgical treatment of chronic atrial fibrillation.
authors.affiliation: Deutsches Herzzentrum Berlin.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Musci
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Pasic
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Siniawski
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Edelmann
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Lehmkuhl
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Loebe
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Weng
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hofmeister
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Hetzer
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D001281:Atrial Fibrillation / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery*; D002908:Chronic Disease; D015897:Comorbidity; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006325:Heart Atria / Q000601:surgery; D006344:Heart Septal Defects, Atrial / Q000601:surgery; D019918:Heart Valve Prosthesis Implantation; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008943:Mitral Valve / Q000601:surgery; D017131:Thrombectomy; D016896:Treatment Outcome
vernacular_title: Chirurgische Therapie des chronischen Vorhofflimmerns mittels "Cox/Maze-III-Operation".