title: Microwave ablation of atrial fibrillation during mitral valve operations.
abstract: Although the Cox-Maze III procedure cures atrial fibrillation in the majority of patients, it has not had widespread application. Development of new operations that use alternate energy sources and different lesion sets have caused resurgence in the surgical treatment of atrial fibrillation. Microwave creates lines of conduction block by thermal damage and subsequent scar formation. We describe a rapid and simple technique for microwave ablation of atrial fibrillation in patients having mitral valve operations.
authors.affiliation: gillinom@ccf.org
authors.forename: A Marc
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Gillinov
authors.forename: Nicholas G
authors.initials: NG
authors.lastname: Smedira
authors.forename: Delos M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Cosgrove
mesh_terms: D001281:Atrial Fibrillation / Q000601:surgery*; D006348:Cardiac Surgical Procedures / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D008872:Microwaves / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008943:Mitral Valve / Q000601:surgery*; D011667:Pulmonary Veins / Q000601:surgery