title: Encircling isolation of pulmonary vein orifice for elimination of persistent atrial fibrillation associated with mitral valve disease.
abstract: The authors treated a 70-year-old woman with persistent atrial fibrillation associated with mitral valve stenosis. Restoration of sinus rhythm was achieved with encircling isolation of pulmonary vein orifices concomitant with mitral valve replacement. A vertical incision in the right side of left atrium was extended to the margin of the upper and lower left pulmonary vein orifices. Supplemental cryo-coagulation was applied to the remnant of the circular incision, avoiding the entire encircling incision. Consequently, all pulmonary veins were electrically isolated. Encircling pulmonary vein orifice isolation is less invasive than the MAZE procedure because of reductions in surgical time and cardiopulmonary bypass time, minimization of atrial incisions, and prevention of injury to the coronary artery. It is thus an effective option for selected patients with atrial fibrillation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, National Kanazawa Hospital Department of General and Cardiothoracic Surgery, Kanazawa University School of Medicine, 1-1 Shimoishibikichio, Kanazawa 920-8650, Japan. matumoto@kinbyou.hosp.go.jp
authors.forename: Yasushi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Matsumoto
authors.forename: Go
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Watanabe
authors.forename: Masamitsu
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Endo
authors.forename: Hisao
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Sasaki
authors.forename: Fuminori
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Kasashima
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D001281:Atrial Fibrillation / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology* / Q000601:surgery*; D002908:Chronic Disease; D001026:Coronary Artery Bypass / Q000379:methods; D004562:Electrocardiography; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008946:Mitral Valve Stenosis / Q000150:complications* / Q000601:surgery*; D011667:Pulmonary Veins / Q000601:surgery*; D013249:Sternum