title: A new cryoprobe for intraoperative ablation of atrial fibrillation.
abstract: We describe the use of a new argon cryoprobe (SurgiFrost) for isolated endocardial surgical ablation. A right lateral minithoracotomy and femoro-femoral cardiopulmonary bypass were applied. The basic mechanism of cryoablation is to remove heat from the targeted arrhythmogenic tissue followed by electrical isolation. In this first case of isolated treatment of atrial fibrillation using the new flexible SurgiFrost cryocatheter, we were able to perform pulmonary vein isolation reaching temperatures as low as -144 degrees C. The patient was discharged in sinus rhythm. This new argon cryoprobe represents an encouraging technology for the isolated endocardial as well as concomitant treatment of atrial fibrillation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiac Surgery, Heart Center, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany. dolln@medizin.uni-leipzig.de
authors.forename: Nicolas
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Doll
authors.forename: Ralf
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Meyer
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Walther
authors.forename: Friedrich W
authors.initials: FW
authors.lastname: Mohr
mesh_terms: D001281:Atrial Fibrillation / Q000601:surgery*; D003452:Cryosurgery / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged