title: Minimally invasive surgery for atrial fibrillation: toward a totally endoscopic, beating heart approach.
abstract: In the last several years, a number of procedures have been conceived that have attempted to treat atrial fibrillation (AF) by creating a limited set of lesions modeled after those of the Maze operation. These lesions have been created by a variety of means, including the traditional cut-and-sew method, but also by nonincisional techniques. These have included cryoablation as well as several thermal techniques, using radiofrequency, microwave, laser, and focused ultrasound energy. One reason for the development of these nonincisional techniques has been the desire to develop less invasive operations for the treatment of AF. The specific goal of our center has been to utilize these energy sources as well as other minimally invasive tools, such as surgical robots, to develop a closed chest, off-pump procedure for AF. The development of such a procedure is outlined in this article.
authors.affiliation: Division of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University, New York, New York, USA.
authors.forename: Mauricio J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Garrido
authors.forename: Mathew
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Williams
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Argenziano
mesh_terms: D020517:Atrial Appendage / Q000601:surgery; D001281:Atrial Fibrillation / Q000601:surgery*; D022062:Electrophysiologic Techniques, Cardiac; D006801:Humans; D019060:Minimally Invasive Surgical Procedures / Q000379:methods*; D011667:Pulmonary Veins / Q000601:surgery