title: Simple surgical isolation of pulmonary veins for treating secondary atrial fibrillation in mitral valve disease.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Chronic atrial fibrillation (AF) due to mitral valve disease has been successfully treated by surgery. We performed a study to evaluate the effectiveness of a surgical method of simple pulmonary vein isolation (PVI) without radiofrequency or cryoablation in the restoration of sinus rhythm in a group of patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  Fifteen patients were operated on for mitral valve disease and chronic AF. The technique consists basically of a circumferential incision excluding the pulmonary vein ostia from the left atrium.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Sinus rhythm was achieved in 92.3% of the patients at 6-month follow-up. Echocardiograms 2 months after surgery showed a mean decrease of 1.1 cm in left atrial size. Effective atrial ejection was reestablished in all patients in whom sinus rhythm was achieved (mean LA ejection fraction 41% +/- 14%). Twenty-four hour Holter recordings did not show episodes of paroxysmal atrial fibrillation in any patients. Four patients had isolated episodes of ventricular ectopic beats. Stress electrocardiograms showed mean maximal ventricular response was 64% +/- 11% and 73% +/- 9% of predicted value at 2 and 6 months, respectively. All patients had improved NYHA functional class after surgery; 74% of patients were in NYHA functional class I at 6 months compared with 13.3% preoperatively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Pulmonary vein isolation without the use of radiofrequency or cryoablation is effective in restoring sinus rhythm in patients with chronic AF secondary to mitral valve disease. Based on simple surgical incisions, this technique is more advantageous than others requiring additional instrumentation.
authors: Instituto de Cardiologia do Rio Grande do Sul, Fundação Universitária de Cardiologia, Porto Alegre, Brazil. pesquisa@cardnet.tche.br
authors: Renato A K
authors: RA
authors: Kalil
authors: Gustavo G
authors: GG
authors: Lima
authors: Tiago L L
authors: TL
authors: Leiria
authors: Rogério
authors: R
authors: Abrahão
authors: Leonardo M
authors: LM
authors: Pires
authors: Paulo R
authors: PR
authors: Prates
authors: Ivo A
authors: IA
authors: Nesralla
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001281:Atrial Fibrillation / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery*; D002908:Chronic Disease; D004452:Echocardiography; D004562:Electrocardiography; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008943:Mitral Valve / Q000601:surgery; D008944:Mitral Valve Insufficiency / Q000150:complications / Q000601:surgery*; D008946:Mitral Valve Stenosis / Q000150:complications / Q000601:surgery*; D011667:Pulmonary Veins / Q000601:surgery*